Thank you to everyone for joining us last week at the New Jersey Association of Counties’ (NJAC) 71st Annual Celebration of County Government attended by a record number of county and business leaders from across the State. A special thank you to our corporate sponsors:
NJAC would like to congratulate PKA Technologies for receiving the Peter Palmer Business Associate of the Year Award. PKA Technologies has a long-standing support of NJAC and mission to provide effective and efficient IT services to county government. Felise Katz, CEO of PKA Technologies, was at the May 5th President’s Luncheon and Award Ceremony to receive the award.
Congratulations to our many and well-deserving county award recipients. NJAC President and Monmouth County Administrator Teri O’Connor and NJAC Executive Director John G. Donnadio, Esq. presented awards to:
Mercer County Commissioner and NJAC Immediate Past President, John A. Cimino, received the Maurice Fitzgibbons County Commissioner of the Year Award for his steadfast, thoughtful, and pragmatic leadership and diplomacy during a challenging but successful legislative year.
Recipients of the County Service Awards are Atlantic County Clerk of the Board Sonya Harris, Burlington County Jail Warden Matthew Leith, Hunterdon County Board of Elections Supervisor Beth Thompson, and Monmouth County Director of Information Technology John Zawadzki.
Kimberly Wood, Cumberland County Administrator, retired as of April 1, 2022. Ms. Wood was the recipient of the County Administrator Lifetime Achievement Award. As a County Administrator she always stayed positive and supportive of the Association and county government. Ms. Wood was not present to accept her award.
The NJAC Board Member Lifetime Achievement Award went to Cape May County Commissioner Director Gerald M. Thornton. Commissioner Thornton has served 39 remarkable years on the Cape May County Board of County Commissioners. He is a gentleman, scholar, and leader.
Cape May County Commissioner Len Desiderio was inducted into the County Commissioner Hall of Fame for his tireless 20 years of public service as a Cape May County Commissioner and civic leader in his home town of Sea Isle City.
Stephen M. Sweeney, Senate President from 2010 to 2021, received the Legislator Lifetime Achievement Award for his unwavering dedication to persons with disabilities, South Jersey, regionalization and shared services, and county government. Honorable Sweeney was not present to accept his award.
For the past 9 years, NJAC has ended its conference with a fabulous County Vocational-Technical School Cook-Off Challenge where conference attendees voted on their favorite appetizers. This year the competing schools were: Atlantic County Institute of Technology; Burlington County Institute of Technology; Camden County Technical Schools; Cape May Tech; Cumberland County Technology Education Center; Gloucester County Vocational-Technical School; Hunterdon County Vocational Schools; Mercer County Technical Schools; Middlesex County Vocational and Technical Schools; Monmouth County Vocational Schools; and Somerset County Vo-Tech.
PEOPLE’S CHOICE AWARDS – The appetizers were voted on by all participating conference attendees and tabulated by ES&S.
- Gold and $1000.00 – Cumberland County Technical Education Center for its Upper Level Dog Burger
- Silver and $500.00 – Camden County Technical Schools for its Tech Mex Western Cantina
- Bronze and $250.00 – Gloucester County Vocational-Technical School for its appetizer of Stnocchi’s Stuffed Shrimp Gnocchi with a sweet and sour balsamic glaze.
NJAC JUDGES AWARDS – The appetizers were voted on by selected conference attendees from the business community.
Taste Category:
- Gold – Camden County Technical Schools – Tech Mex Western Cantina
- Silver – Cumberland County Technical Education Center – Upper Level Dog Burger
- Bronze – Mercer County Technical Schools – BBQuban
Station Display Category:
- Gold – Middlesex County Vocational & Technical Schools – The Green Farmer’s Harvest
- Silver – Atlantic County Institute of Technology – Dr. G’s BBQ
- Bronze – Hunterdon County Polytech – Grilled Baby Rack of Lamb over cannellini bean ragout with aged balsamic black mission fig reduction
PROFESSIONAL CHEFS AWARDS – The appetizers were voted on by professional chefs in Atlantic City.
Taste Category:
- Gold – Mercer County Technical Schools – BBQuban
- Silver – Camden County Technical Schools – Tech Mex Western Cantina
- Bronze – Hunterdon County Polytech – Grilled Baby Rack of Lamb over cannellini bean ragout with aged balsamic black mission fig reduction
Food Presentation Category:
- Gold – Mercer County Technical Schools – BBQuban
- Silver – Burlington County Institute of Technology – Matcha Foie Gras with pistachio pomegranate & herb fins
- Bronze – Hunterdon County Polytech – Grilled Baby Rack of Lamb over cannellini bean ragout with aged balsamic black mission fig reduction
Additional fantastic dishes included a Salmon Pastrami prepared by the Cape May County Technical Schools; Braised Pork Belly with Ginger Soy Apple Slaw & Apple Jack Glaze prepared by the Monmouth County Vocational School District; and Smoked Scallops prepared by the Somerset County Vocational Technical School. And, a special thanks to the Harmonious Hoots of Union County College for captivating the audience at the Acapella Sing-Off and to the Atlantic County Institute of Technology for a beautiful rendition of the National Anthem at the Board of Directors Kick-Off meeting.
Photos courtesy of Russ DeSantis Photography and Video, LLC