POWER OF ATTORNEY

      WHEREAS, the undersigned officers and directors of Center Bancorp, Inc.
desire to authorize John J. Davis and Anthony C. Weagley to act as their
attorneys-in-fact and agents, for the purpose of executing and filing the
registrant's registration statement described below, including all amendments
and supplements thereto,

      NOW, THEREFORE,

      KNOW ALL MEN BY THESE PRESENTS, that each person whose signature appears
below constitutes and appoints John J. Davis and Anthony C. Weagley, and each of
them, his or her true and lawful attorney-in-fact and agent, with full power of
substitution and resubstitution, to sign the registrant's Registration Statement
on Form S-8 registering 51,917 shares of the Common Stock of Center Bancorp,
Inc. (the "Company") to be offered in connection with the issuance of stock
options to replace stock options granted pursuant to the Red Oak Bank 1999
Incentive Stock Option Plan and the Red Oak Bank 2004 Incentive Stock Option
Plan, including any and all amendments and supplements to such Registration
Statement, and to file the same, with all exhibits thereto, and other documents
in connection therewith, with the SEC, granting unto said attorneys-in-fact and
agents, and each of them, full power and authority to do and perform each and
every act and thing requisite and necessary to be done in and about the
premises, as fully and to all intents and purposes as he might or could do in
person, hereby ratifying and confirming all that said attorneys-in-fact and
agents, or any of them, or their or his substitute or substitutes, may lawfully
do or cause to be done by virtue hereof.


      IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned have executed this power of attorney
in the following capacities as of the 26th day of May, 2005.




Signature                           Title
---------                           -----


/s/ Alexander A. Bol                Chairman of the Board
--------------------
Alexander A. Bol

/s/ John J. Davis                   President; Chief Executive Officer; Director
-----------------
John J. Davis

/s/ Hugo Barth, III                 Director
-------------------
Hugo Barth, III

/s/ Brenda Curtis                   Director
-----------------
Brenda Curtis

/s/ Donald G. Kein                  Director
------------------
Donald G. Kein

/s/ James J. Kennedy                Director
--------------------
James J. Kennedy

/s/ Paul Lomakin, Jr.               Director
---------------------
Paul Lomakin, Jr.

/s/ Eugene V. Malinowski            Director
------------------------
Eugene V. Malinowski

/s/ Herbert Schiller                Director
--------------------
Herbert Schiller

/s/ Norman F Schroeder              Director
----------------------
Norman F. Schroeder

/s/ William A. Thompson             Director
-----------------------
William A. Thompson

/s/ Anthony C. Weagley              Principal Accounting and Financial Officer
------------------------
Anthony C. Weagley


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