Distinguished Service Awards for 2010 Are Announced
• Five Recipients Will Be Honored April 8 at Jaycees' 39th Annual Dinner
 |
Enlarge This Photo |
Joanne Cocchiola
Mayor of Nutley
|
Enlarge This Photo |
John Calicchio
Walker School Principal
|
Enlarge This Photo |
Neil Henning
"Businessman of the Year"
|
Enlarge This Photo |
Richard Budris
First Aid Squad Volunteer
|
Enlarge This Photo |
Joseph Hannon
Outstanding Young Man of the Year
Mar 24, 2010 – Selection of the five recipients of the Nutley Jaycees 39th Annual Distinguished Awards were announced today. Mayor Joanne Cocchiola is among the winners who will be honored at a dinner program Thursday, April 8. The mayor will received the award for her work in the field of civic affairs.
The other four award recipients are Walker Middle School Principal John P. Calicchio Jr. in the field of education; Richard Budris for "Public Health and Safety" and honoring his volunteer work with the Nutley Rescue Squad; Neil Henning, owner of Fortress Financial, as businessman of the year," and Joseph Hannon as the winner of the Jaycees special "Young Man of the Year award."
The dinner ceremony, among Nutley's best attended annual events, is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. Thursday, April 8, at the Valley Regency on Valley Road, Upper Montclair. Reservations at $40 can be secured by calling Dr. Steven Clark at (973) 235-1515.
Joanne Cocchiola is the first woman in the history to be elected to the Nutley Board of Commissioners. Reelected and again appointed Mayor in 2008 to a new four-year term, she enjoys the distinction of being only one of three mayors in the town's history to serve two consecutive terms.
Mayor Cocchiola is director of the Public Affairs Department, traditionally concerned with health and welfare issues. But for the past six years, Cocchiola has introduced several major and innovative programs involving thousands of townspeople in activities ranging from the support group "Nutley Thriving Survivors" to a current weight-loss challenge attracting more than 150 participants.
She has turned the annual Christmas and Hanukah celebration into an event that brings out thousands of townspeople for an evening festival involving students and adults, featuring music, amusements, horse and train rides for adults and children and the tree lighting itself set against an artistic background of lights surrounding the Park Oval.
A graduate of Douglas College with a Juris Doctor degree from Seton Hall Law School, Mayor Cocchiola serves as associate legal counsel for the N.J. Sports and Exposition Authority.
John Calicchio
John Calicchio has been principal of the John Walker Middle School for the past 10 years. He began his teaching career at Newark's Barringer High School in 1974 and joined the Nutley district as a teacher at the Yantacaw elementary school where he was promoted to principal in 1996.
He also is active in several community events and organizations that led to his high recognition and popularity in town. He's been active with the Nutley UNICO chapter, the township's 'Recreation Golf Tournament, Third Half Club and the Mayor's Tree Lighting Committee, among others.
A graduate of Florida's St. Leo College, Calicchio holds a master's degree in administration and supervision from Jersey City State College and presently is the president of the Nutley Administrators Association.
Neil S. Henning
The Jaycees "Businessman of the Year" is one of Nutley's most active community volunteers. Neil S. Henning is the president of the Nutley Family Service Bureau where, in addition to his administrative duties, he finds time to help plan and volunteer with other popular bureau fundraiser such as the annual Charity Ball and "Lollipop" parties.
Perhaps most import is Henning's guiding the bureau through what he calls "a rebirth" of the organization including the hiring of new chief operation officers.
Henning also is one of the town's most active volunteers with community projects including the planning of Nutley's July4th celebration, serving as a soccer coach, participating in blood drives and the cleaning of parks on Earth Day.
Henning also is vice president of the Nutley Chamber of Commerce. He owns Fortress Financial, an investment services company, and has received several industry awards including the Republican Congressional Committee's 2003 Businessman of the Year.
Richard Budris
The annual award for "Public Health and Safety" will be presented to Richard Budris, a Nutley volunteer who has donated over 20,000 hours in responding to more than 4,000 ambulance and rescue calls with the Nutley Volunteer Emergency and Rescue Squad.
A graduate of Nutley High and the Cooper Union with an engineering degree, Budris has been a volunteer with the ambulance squad for the past 23 years. He has served as president for two annual terms, as training officer, 10 years as the chairman of recruiting and presently holds the rank of crew chief.
Budris worked 15 years as assistant director of plant operations at the Orange Hospital Center. He currently is employed at the Essex Regional Health Commission and serves as assistant coordinator of the Essex County Public Health Reserve Corps.
Joseph Hannon
The Jaycees most coveted award, the "Outstanding Young Man of the Year," will be presented to Joseph Hannon, a lifelong Nutley resident, and one-time player in the Nutley American Little League who eventually became its chairman of the board.
A member of the league for 17 years, Hannon also has coached and served in a number of leadership roles as a volunteer. He currently is as the league's BBall Director while still coaching.
A 1992 Nutley High School graduate, he holds a bachelors degree in politics from Fairfield University and law degree from Seton Hall's School of Law. Mr., Hannon is currently an associate at the Newark law form of Genova Burns. He and his wife, Colleen, have two children, Charles, 6, and Katherine who is 3 and attends pre-school.
The process of judging for the awards was overseen by a panel of seven community leaders including Walt Smith, William J Jernick, III, John Brown, Joe Zarra, Assemblyman Fred Scalera, Phil White and Steve Clarke.
