Six local recipients honored at annual dinner

LONG BRANCH, NJ – Monmouth County Freeholder Director Thomas A. Arnone, Deputy Director Serena DiMaso and the County’s Workforce Development Board (WDB) honored six leaders in workforce and community development at its Partnership Awards Dinner on Wednesday at McLoone’s Pier House.

“The silver anniversary of honoring partners who have dedicated themselves to training a skilled workforce that is in demand is a testimony to the success of the program,” said Freeholder Deputy Director Serena DiMaso, liaison to the County’s Division of Workforce Development. “Each of our recipients has demonstrated their awareness of the importance to develop a labor pool that possesses the skill set employers need. The honorees represent a cross-section of the public and private sectors, each of which plays an integral role in matching employers looking to hire with qualified applicants.”

The six honorees this year include: Stephen C. Hornik, Sr., who received a special honorary recognition. Hornik is a member of the Monmouth County Workforce Development Board and was instrumental in organizing the awards dinner for more than 20 years, serving as Chairman of the Awards Committee; Benjamin Waldron, executive director of the Monmouth-Ocean Development Council; Donna M. Blaze, executive director of the Monmouth Housing Alliance; Marie Lucier-Woodruff, associate vice president in the Office of Continuing and Professional Studies at Brookdale College; Aaron Fichtner, deputy commissioner of the New Jersey Department of Labor and Workforce Development; and James Moran, an IBEW delegate to the Monmouth-Ocean Central Labor Council.

“Collaboration between public and private entities is an important part of providing services to those who are unemployed or underemployed in Monmouth County,” said Freeholder Director Thomas A. Arnone. “This collaboration ultimately benefits job seekers and employers and contributes to the economic well-being of our citizens, their families and their communities. The longevity of this dinner speaks volumes about the program’s value. For 25 years, the partners have done an outstanding job adjusting to the changing skill set employers seek and training people whose qualifications match those requirements.”

The WDB directs the delivery of education, employment and training programs to county residents and businesses. It builds partnerships in the public and private sectors to maximize resources to build a high quality and competitive workforce.

Proceeds from the dinner support the WDB’s Scholarship Fund which provides scholarships to the Brookdale Community College Foundation to assist low income students attending Brookdale Community College.