Center Bancorp, Inc. Form 8-K


                 UNITED STATES SECURITIES & EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                             Washington, D.C. 20549

                                    FORM 8-K
                                 Current Report

  Quarterly Report Pursuant to Section 13 or 15 (D) of the Securities Exchange
                                  Act of 1934

                          Date of Report, July 24, 2003
                       (Date of Earliest Event Responded)

                         Commission File number 2-81353

                              CENTER BANCORP, INC.
             (Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

                    New Jersey                  52-1273725
         (State or other Jurisdiction of   (I.R.S. Employer Identification No.)
          Incorporation or Organization)

                   2455 Morris Avenue, Union New Jersey 07083
              (Address of Principal executive's offices) (Zip Code)

                                 (908) 688-9500
              (Registrant's Telephone Number, including area code)






ITEM 7.   FINANCIAL STATEMENTS, PRO FORMA FINANCIAL INFORMATION AND EXHIBITS.

(c) Exhibits

As described in Item 9 of this Report,  the following  Exhibit is furnished
as part of this  Current  Report  on Form  8-K:

99.1  Press  Release  of Center Bancorp, Inc. dated July 24, 2003.

ITEM 9.  REGULATION FD DISCLOSURE.
On July 24, 2003, Center Bancorp, Inc. (the "Company") issued a press release
regarding results for the three months ended June 30, 2003. A copy of this press
release is being furnished as Exhibit 99.1 to this Current Report on Form 8-K.

This Current Report on Form 8-K and the press release attached hereto are being
furnished by the Company pursuant to Item 12 of Form 8-K, insofar as they
disclose historical information regarding the Company's results of operations
for the three months ended June 30, 2003.

In accordance with General Instruction B.6 of Form 8-K, the information in this
Current Report on Form 8-K, including Exhibit 99.1, shall not be deemed "filed"
for the purposes of Section 18 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as
amended, or otherwise subject to the liability of that section, nor shall it be
deemed incorporated by reference in any filing under the Securities Act of 1933,
as amended, except as shall be expressly set forth by specific reference in such
a filing.


         Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934,
the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the
undersigned thereunto duly authorized.

                                    Center Bancorp, Inc.

 Date: July 24, 2003               By:  /s/ Anthony C. Weagley
                                    ---------------------------

                                    Name: Anthony C. Weagley
                                    Title: Vice President & Treasurer


Exhibit Index

         Exhibit No.     Description

               99.1      Press Release of the Company dated July 24, 2003