by Tim Lecras of TAPinto
ATLANTIC CITY, NJ – New Jersey Association of Counties (NJAC) Executive Director John Donnadio stood on the stage in the ballroom at Caesars Atlantic City with a smile on his face as he proudly kicked off the 71st Annual NJAC Conference with a long-delayed awards ceremony to honor members and associates for their hard work.
Cape May County Commissioner E. Marie Hayes took home the top award of the year, the Maurice Fitzgibbons County Commissioner of the Year Award.
“I love what I do,” Hayes said. “I love serving our people. I just love county government. It can’t be said enough that without county government, this state, this country doesn’t move ahead.”
COVID-19 was the focus of this year’s award recipients, with the five “County Service Awards” focused on individuals who made a difference across the state during the pandemic.
The five County Service Awards went to:
- Daniel E. Regenye, Public Health Coordinator, Ocean County
- Dr. Charlene W. Gungil, Health Office and Director, Passaic County
- David DeWoody, Purchasing Agent, Cumberland County
- Walter Lane, Director of Planning, Somerset County
- Marygrace Billek, Director of Human Services, Mercer County
While each of these administrators played a major factor in the state’s COVID-19 response, perhaps no one made a bigger difference than Passaic County’s Dr. Charlene W. Gungil.
According to Donnadio, Gungil led the nation’s first countywide COVID-19 mobile testing program.
“Even long before the public health crisis, she was just a tremendous advocate and resource for county government,” Donnadio said. “I felt she was a visionary and a leader in the field of public health.”
Mercer County Commissioner Ann Cannon was awarded the NJAC Board Member Lifetime Achievement Award for her 27 years of service to the county, while Hudson County Administrator Abraham Antun picked up the 2021 County Administrator Lifetime Achievement Award.
Atlantic County Commissioner John Risley was inducted into the County Commissioner Hall of Fame.
Here is a list of all the 2021 award winners:
Peter Palmer Business Associate of the Year Award
Genova Burns – received by Angelo Genova and Joe Hannon
County Service Awards
Daniel E. Regenye, Public Health Coordinator, Ocean County
Dr. Charlene W. Gungil, Health Office and Director, Passaic County
David DeWoody, Purchasing Agent, Cumberland County
Walter Lane, Director of Planning, Somerset County
Marygrace Billek, Director of Human Services, Mercer County
NJAC Board Member Lifetime Achievement Award
Ann Cannon, Mercer County Commissioner
County Administrator Lifetime Achievement Awards
Abraham Antun, County Administrator, Hudson County
County Commissioner Hall of Fame Inductees
John Risley, Atlantic County Commissioner
Maurice Fitzgibbons County Commissioner of the Year Award
E. Marie Hayes, Cape May County Commissioner
Editor’s Note: TAPinto was the media sponsor for the NJAC Conference.