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New Jersey Insider
Minority
Leaders R-Z
| Ronald L. Rice
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| Senator
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| 1044 South Orange Avenue
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| Newark, NJ 07106
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| Phone:
(973) 371-5665
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| Fax:
(973) 733-3725
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Democrat first elected in 1986 to unexpired term of late Senator John Caulfield,
now serving third term> Also Newark City Council member since 1982,
unsuccessful 1998 candidate for mayor, lost in
challenge to incumbent SHARPE JAMES>
Associate Minority Leader for Senate Democrats since 1998> Vietnam veteran,
served in the Marine Corps 1966-70> Former Newark policeman and detective,
resigned to join PUBLIC SERVICE ELECTRIC
& GAS CO., first as security specialist, then in community affairs>
Holds masters in criminal justice from RUTGERS
UNIVERSITY, B.S. John Jay College of Criminal Justice, A.S., ESSEX
COUNTY COLLEGE.
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| Richard W. Roper
|
| Principal
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| The Roper Group
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| 550 Broad Street
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| Newark, NJ 07102
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| Phone:
(973) 286-2780
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| Fax:
(973) 286-2788
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Consultant on public policy, community development matters> Previously
director of business development unit of PORT
AUTHORITY OF NY & NJ 1992-95> Previously served as director of
Program for NJ Affairs at Woodrow Wilson School of PRINCETON UNIVERSITY> Served on 1990 JAMES FLORIO Transition Committee> Prior positions as director,
office of state and local aid with US Department of Commerce; legislative aide
to Newark Mayor KENNETH GIBSON;
director of NJ Education Reform Project of Greater Newark Urban Coalition;
assistant to Vice Chancellor of NJ Department of Higher Education> Member,
past Chairman, NJ Child Life Protection Commission; Chairman, Trenton Office of
Policy Studies Advisory Board> Trustee and former Chairman, WBGO-FM
(Newark Public Radio); Children's Trust Fund; board member, Boys & Girls
Clubs of Newark; NJ Public Policy Research Institute, COMMUNITY
FOUNDATION OF NJ, READY Foundation, CENTER
FOR ANALYSIS OF PUBLIC ISSUES, REGIONAL
PLAN ASSOCIATION-NJ> Masters in Public Affairs from PRINCETON UNIVERSITY, B.A. RUTGERS
UNIVERSITY.
|
| Rev.
William Rutherford
|
| President-NJ
State Conference NAACP
|
| Greater
New Point Baptist Church
|
| 60 Paine Avenue
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| PO Box 377
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| Irvington, NJ 07111
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| Phone: (973) 373-7287
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Inducted December 1999 as president, NJ
STATE CONFERENCE-NAACP organized in 1927, currently 37 local chapters and
seven college chapters> Policy priorities increasing visibility on State
public policy issues, implementing State Police reforms following racial
profiling controversy, encouraging students to continue with education>
Pastor, Greater New Point Baptist Church in Irvington, for 20 years, resides in
South Orange> Grew up in Americus, GA, son
of a share cropper and dairy worker, moved north 1965 after participating in
civil rights protests in GA> Elected president of Irvington NAACP
branch 1985, active in efforts seeking promotion of city's first black police
sergeant, hiring of school district's top black school administrators and
creation of high school tutorial program>
|
| Albio
Sires
|
| Assemblyman
|
| 6709 Park Avenue
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| Guttenberg, NJ 07093
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| Phone:
(201) 854-0900
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Elected November 1999 to first term in NJ Assembly, defeated incumbent Louis
Romano in Democratic primary> Sponsor
of legislation enacted July 2000 to mandate criminal background checks of
child care center employees, provide for local approval prior to State
authorization of sewage sludge disposal sites> Mayor of West New York since 1995> Owner of A.M. Title
Agency> B.A., ST. PETER'S COLLEGE, M.A., Middlebury College (Spanish).
|
| DeForest
B. Soaries
|
| Secretary of State
|
| New Jersey Department of
State
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| PO Box 300
|
| Trenton, NJ 08625-0300
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| Phone:
(609) 777-0884
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| Fax:
(609) 777-1764
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Sworn in as thirtieth Secretary of State by Governor CHRISTINE
TODD WHITMAN January 12, 1999> Oversees
Department of State’s operating agencies consisting of: Administration;
Archives and Records Management; Center for Youth Policy and Programs; NJ Historical
Commission; NJ Historic Trust; NJ State Council on the Arts; NJ State Museum;
New Jersey Martin Luther King, Jr. Commission; NJ Commission on American Indian
Affairs; Governor’s Office of Volunteerism; Old Barracks Museum; and War
Memorial> Ordained minister, serves as senior pastor of First Baptist Church
of Lincoln Gardens with 5,100 members in Somerset since 1990> Key leader of
activist ministers promoting neighborhood change, nationally recognized for
views advocating assumption of personal responsibility, criticism of effects of
government social welfare programs> Once close to Jesse Jackson, split with
Jackson over policy focus on government assistance, sought greater emphasis of
family and neighborhood self-help programs> Helped found First Baptist
Community Development Corporation; Renaissance Community Development Credit
Union; CDC Properties and Housing Company; Renaissance Employment & Training
Academy
and
several economic, spiritual and educational programs for church members and
local residents> B.A. Fordham University;
Masters of Divinity Degree from PRINCETON
THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY; Doctor of Ministry Degree from United Theological
Seminary in Dayton, Ohio; and honorary Doctorate degrees from DREW
UNIVERSITY and MONMOUTH UNIVERSITY> Prior to State
service, worked for Urban League in Newark, and Operation Push in
Chicago,
under Reverend Jesse Jackson.
|
| Jose F. Sosa
|
| Director, State
Government Relations
|
| Johnson & Johnson
|
| One Johnson &
Johnson Plaza
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| New Brunswick NJ 08933
|
| Phone:
(732) 524-0400
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|
Hispanic Republican elected November 1991 to NJ Assembly from Burlington County
district, defeated in November 1993 re-election bid> Appointed 1995 as
director of state government relations at JOHNSON
& JOHNSON> Served as Mayor of Mount Holly 1989-90, council member
1986-90> Past vice chairman, REPUBLICAN
STATE COMMITTEE, at-large delegate, speaker at 1992 Republican National
Convention, also co-chair of 1991 Republican State Platform Committee>
Appointed by Governor THOMAS H. KEAN as
board member, NJ Public Broadcasting Authority> Trustee, THE
COLLEGE OF NJ; previously Hispanic Affairs Liaison to NJ Republican State
Committee; member, Commission on the Future of NJ Republican Party; Burlington
County Republican Committee; Burlington County Welfare Board> Past director
of community relations for ST. FRANCIS
HOSPITAL in Trenton> Formerly employed as manager of governmental affairs
for Smithkline Beecham Corp. in Philadelphia> B.S. Drexel University.
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| The
Reverend Alfred E. Steele
|
| Assemblyman
|
| 100 Hamilton Plaza
|
| Suite 1403-05
|
| Paterson, NJ 07505 |
| Phone:
(973) 247-1555
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| e-mail:
AsmSteele@njleg.state.nj.us
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|
Elected November 1999 to third Assembly term, and selected as Assistant Minority
Leader by Assembly Democrats> Currently Pastor at Seminary Baptist Church in
Paterson, also executive director of B.J. Wilkerson Memorial Day Care Center>
Elected to Paterson City Council 1994> Board member, Paterson Red Cross;
American Heart Association> Holds bachelor's degree in theology from North
Eastern Bible College in Essex Fells.
|
| Ralph
Albert Thomas, C.P.A.
|
| Executive Director
|
| New Jersey Society of Certified
Public Accountants
|
| 425 Eagle Rock Avenue
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| Roseland, NJ 07068
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| Phone: (973) 226-4494
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| Fax: (973) 226-7425
|
| e-mail: njscpa@njscpa.org
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Named December 1999 as chief staff person at 14,000-member NJ SOCIETY OF CERTIFIED PUBLIC ACCOUNTANTS, first black to hold
position> Previously vice president and region audit head with Citicorp
Securities Structured Finance Group in NY City> Member of NJSCPA since 1985,
served as Treasurer, on Board of Trustees and as member of CPAs in Business Task
Force, Scholarship Trust, CPA Career Awareness Task Force and Cooperation with
Bankers Committee> Also member of American Institute of Certified Public
Accountants (AICPA), served as member of AICPA's Business and Industry Executive
Committee> As member of National Association of Black Accountants (NABA),
held number of leadership positions, including national president and president
of Washington D.C. Chapter> Senior vice president of Lehigh University Alumni
Association, also member of Lehigh's College of Business Advisory Council and
chairperson of Steering Committee for Black and Latino Alumni Council>
Recipient of National Outstanding Member Award from NABA, the Professional
Achievement Award from Northern NJ Chapter of NABA and Outstanding Leader of
Decade (1970s) Award from Lehigh University> B.S. in Accounting and M.B.A. in
Finance from Lehigh University.
|
| Anne E. Thompson
|
|
Chief Judge- United
States District Court
|
| District of New Jersey
|
| Clarkson S. Fisher
Federal Building
and U.S. Courthouse
|
| 402 East State Street
|
| Trenton, NJ 08605
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| Phone:
(609) 989-2123
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Chief Judge of federal district court in NJ, first woman and first black to
serve as chief judge> Former Mercer County Prosecutor, appointed as federal
judge by President Carter in 1979> First woman and first black to serve as
county prosecutor in NJ> Trustee, RIDER
UNIVERSITY> J.D. Howard University Law School, M.A. Temple University,
B.A. Howard University.
|
| Donald Tucker
|
| Assemblyman
|
| 953 Bergen Street
|
| Newark, NJ 07112
|
| Phone:
(973) 733-8740
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| Fax:
(973) 923-1473
|
| e-mail:
AsmTucker@njleg.state.nj.us
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Elected to second term in NJ General Assembly November 1999> Also Newark City
Councilman-at-Large since 1974, Council President 1991-92, re-elected 1990 with
highest number of votes of all council candidates> Also past chairman,
National Black Caucus of Elected Officials; former trustee National League of
Cities> Served as volunteer, later staff official with Congress of Racial
Equality in 1960's civil rights campaigns> Appointed 1990 by Governor JAMES
FLORIO as a Commissioner, Passaic Valley Sewerage Commission> B.A.
Goddard College (VT)> Founder and Chairman, NJ
BLACK ISSUES CONVENTION, organization which studies, discusses public
policy, economic issues impacting NJ blacks> B.A., Goddard College.
|
| Shirley K. Turner
|
| Senator
|
| 1440 Pennington Road
|
| Ewing, NJ 08618
|
| Phone:
(609) 530-3277
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| Fax:
(609) 530-3292
|
| e-mail:
SenTurner@njleg.state.nj.us
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Elected November 1997 to first term in NJ Senate, defeated incumbent Republican
Richard La Rossa> Served two terms in NJ Assembly 1994-98> Also elected
Mercer County Democratic chair 1999, succeeding late Alana Karcher, resigned as
chair in 2000> Employed as Associate Director, Office of Career Placement at RIDER
UNIVERSITY, worked previously as both an Assistant Director and Counselor
for Rider's Equal Opportunity Program and as a health and physical education
teacher in Trenton school system> Former Mercer County freeholder 1983-86 and
vice president of freeholder board 1986> Listed in Who's Who Among Black
Americans and named as one of Outstanding Young Women of America> President,
Mercer County Federation of Democratic Women> Holds master's degree in
guidance and counseling from Rider, bachelor's degree from Trenton State College
(now THE COLLEGE OF NJ).
|
| Joseph A. Unanue
|
| President
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| Goya Foods
|
| 100 Seaview Drive
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| Secaucus, NJ 07094
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| Phone:
(201) 348-4900
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Heads GOYA FOODS, Nation's largest
Hispanic food company founded 1936 by parents> Serves on Board of Regents SETON
HALL UNIVERSITY and Catholic University (Washington, DC), also board member,
NJ PERFORMING ARTS CENTER, a co-chair of 1997 Governor CHRISTINE
TODD WHITMAN re-election campaign finance committee> Trustee, ST.
PETER’S COLLEGE; University of Miami; Boys Clubs of America> Named
‘Man of the Year’ twice by National Conference of Christians and Jews, also
‘Corporate Man of the Year’ by B'nai B'rith International> B.S.
(mechanical engineering) Catholic University.
|
| Stanley
C. Van Ness, Esq.
|
| Partner |
| Herbert , Van Ness,
Cayci, & Goodell
|
| 22 Chambers Street
|
| Princeton, NJ 08542
|
| Phone:
(609) 924-2495
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| Fax:
(609) 924 -8732
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|
|
Counsel to the Governor in Richard Hughes Administration and NJ Public
Advocate in Administration of Governor Brendan T. Byrne> Appointed 1990 by
Governor JAMES FLORIO to chair
commission auditing State government operations> Attorney in private law
firm> Board member, Prudential Insurance Co.; editorial board member, NJ LAWYER> Former faculty member, SETON HALL UNIVERSITY Law School, RUTGERS UNIVERSITY Law School> LL.B. Rutgers Law School, B.S.
Rutgers College; honorary doctorates from Rutgers, RICHARD STOCKTON COLLEGE OF NJ, RIDER
UNIVERSITY.
|
| Joseph Vas
|
| Mayor
|
| City of Perth Amboy
|
| 152 High Street
|
| Perth Amboy, NJ 08861
|
| Phone:
(732) 442-1594
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| Fax:
(732) 826-7121
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|
First Hispanic to serve as Perth Amboy mayor> First appointed mayor 1990,
filling unexpired term of former Mayor George Otlowski, re-elected to full
four-year terms 1992 and 1996> Also chairman and CEO of R&J Associates
insurance agency and owner of Solamar Travel agency in Perth Amboy> Former
president of Perth Amboy Chamber of Commerce and Perth Amboy Rotary Club>
Campaigned on platform of fiscal responsibility, consolidation of government
agencies, cleanup of environmentally contaminated properties.
|
| Silverio Vega
|
| Chairman
|
| Hudson
County Board
of
Chosen Freeholders
|
| 583
Newark Avenue
|
| Jersey
City, NJ 07306
|
|
Phone:
(201) 795-6000
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Elected as 2000-2001 chair, Hudson County Board of Chosen Freeholders, also
elected since 1991as commissioner, West New York, serving as member of Board of
Adjustment> Employed as athletic director, Memorial High School, West New
York, also legislative aide to NJ Senator BERNARD KENNY> Born in Cuba,
resident of West New York for 30 years.
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| Joseph A. Walker
|
| Chairman and Professor
|
| Theatre Arts and Speech
Department
|
| Rutgers
University-Camden
|
| 314 Linden Street
|
| Camden, NJ 08102
|
|
| Phone:
(856) 225-6176
|
| Fax:
(856) 225-6330
|
| e-mail:
profjaw@crab.rutgers.edu
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Named 1991 as Chairman of Theatre Arts and Speech Department at RUTGERS UNIVERSITY-Camden, also Director of American Studies Program
at Rutgers-Camden > Author of Tony Award-winning play The River Niger, also
acted in The River Niger as Johnny Williams opposite Roxie Roker (of TV situation
comedy 'The Jeffersons' )> Received Living Legend Award at 1995 National Black
Theatre Festival in Winston-Salem, NC> Playwright, director and choreographer
of 1996 play, King Buddy Bolden> Other credits include: Playwright in
Residence, Yale University School of Drama-1970; Guggenheim Award-1973-74; Tony
Award for Best Play of 1974; Rockefeller Foundation Playwrights' Award in 1978
for The Absolution of Willie Mae> Taught advanced playwrighting and acting at
Howard University 1972-73, before receiving tenured appointment in 1976>
Drama Department Head of Duke Ellington School of Performing Arts 1977-78>
Other awards include: Elizabeth-Kate Warriner Award; First Annual Audelco Award,
Outer Critic's Circle, John Gassner Playwrighting Award; OBIE award; Drama Desk
Award; and The Black Rose> Also traveled to Johannesburg, South Africa to
direct, choreograph, and write new book for
revised musical of first successful black South African Musical, King
Kong in 1979> Played ‘The
Wiz’ in Rutgers' '93-94 season, and narrated Peter and the Wolf for
Haddonfield Symphony Orchestra in 1993.
|
| Karol
Corbin Walker, Esq.
|
| Partner |
| St. John & Wayne
|
| 2 Penn Plaza East
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| Newark, NJ 07102
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| Phone:
(973) 491-3300
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| Fax:
(973) 491-3333
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First black woman to be named partner in one of NJ's largest law firms, ST.
JOHN & WAYNE> Also board member and secretary, NJ
STATE BAR ASSOCIATION, scheduled to become first black president of State
Bar Association 2004> Litigator in environmental, land-use matters, served as
associate until becoming partner in firm 1995> Previously an associate at PITNEY,
HARDIN, KIPP & SZUCH> Selected 1993 as Young Lawyer of the Year by
Young Lawyer Division of NJ STATE BAR
ASSOCIATION; president, GARDEN STATE
BAR ASSOCIATION 1991-93> Graduate of Jersey City State College (now NEW
JERSEY CITY UNIVERSITY, started career as employee at Internal Revenue
Service 1979-83, then attended SETON HALL
UNIVERSITY Law School, received J.D. 1986> Native of Jersey City.
|
| William H. Walls
|
| Judge-United States
District Court
|
| District of New Jersey
|
| Dr. Martin Luther King
Jr. Federal Building
and Courthouse
|
| 50 Walnut Street
|
| PO Box 999
|
| Newark, NJ 07101
|
| Phone:
(973) 645-2564
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Nominated September 1994 by President Clinton as US District Court judge>
First black male on US District Court bench in NJ, second black (to ANNE THOMPSON) to serve
as NJ federal judge> On NJ Superior Court since 1978, previously Essex
County Court judge appointed 1977> Served in Newark municipal government
under Mayor KENNETH GIBSON, as City
counsel 1970-73, business administrator 1974-77> J.D. Yale Law School, B.A.
Dartmouth College.
|
| Theodore
V. Wells, Jr., Esq.
|
| Paul, Weiss, Rifkind,
Wharton & Garrison
|
| 1285 Avenue of the
Americas
|
| New York, NY 10019
|
| Phone:
(212) 373-2481
|
| Fax:
(212) 373-2205
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Named partner and co-chair of litigation department for one of nation’s
largest law firms effective January 2000> Previously partner in LOWENSTEIN SANDLER
based in Roseland, with firm 22 years until resigning to accept Paul Weiss
partnership> Served as treasurer, 2000 Presidential campaign of former
Senator BILL BRADLEY> Elected 1999
as director, THE CIT GROUP> Named
by The National Law Journal in 1989 article as one of 50 most powerful
lawyers in US under age 50> Prominent white-collar criminal defense, civil
trial attorney, successfully represented former US Agriculture Secretary Michael
Espey in 1999 corruption trial, also member of defense team which successfully
defended charges involving former US Labor Secretary Raymond Donovan in federal
prosecution; and part of legal team representing former Orange mayor Cardell
Cooper relating to 1994 Democratic primary election for Essex County Executive
nomination> Also served as general counsel, NJ
STATE CONFERENCE OF NAACP, active in negotiations to resolve racial
conflicts in Teaneck, other issues> Finance chair, Congressman DONALD PAYNE 1988 campaign> Trustee, Holy Cross College> Holds
law degree and M.B.A. from Harvard University, B.A. Holy Cross College.
|
| Avis Y. Yates
|
| President
|
| Technology Concepts
Group
|
| Suite 100
|
| 38 East Park Street
|
| Newark, NJ 07102
|
| Phone:
(973) 242-1338
|
| e-mail:
ayyates@technologyconcepts.com
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Heads firm which disposes, recycles and restores computers and electronic
equipment through remanufacturing and resale; provides computer consulting;
trains customer service representatives
for firms including BELL ATLANTIC>
Over 20 years general management experience in information technology
industry> Received 1996 Minority Business Advocate of Year Award from NY/NJ
Minority Purchasing Council; 1995 received Distinguished Service Award from REGIONA BUSINESS PARTNERSHIP; featured in 1993 Fortune 500 Issue of
Fortune Magazine; 1992 Supplier of Year Award from National Minority Supplier
Development Council; 1990 Outstanding Minority Business of Year Award> 1995
White House Conference Delegate named
by U.S. Senator FRANK LAUTENBERG> Also
served as Vice President, BPU Supplier Diversity Development Council;
Chairperson, NJ United Minority Business Brain Trust; Regional Vice Chair-NE
Region, National MBEIC-NMSDC; Secretary and Director, REGIONAL BUSINESS PARTNERSHIP; Director, Union County Economic
Development Corporation; member, RUTGERS
UNIVERSITY Undergraduate Education Advisory Council; member, SETON
HALL Institute on Work. |
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