MIDDLESEX COUNTY FREEHOLDER DIRECTOR RONALD G. RIOS

Middlesex County Freeholder Director Ronald G. Rios is Director of the Board of Chosen Freeholders. Freeholder Director Rios' accomplishments reflect a lifelong dedication to improving the quality of life for all people through effective, efficient and dedicated government.

A longtime Middlesex County resident, Freeholder Director Rios graduated from

Woodbridge High School, class of 1970. In 2000, he earned his bachelor of arts in Labor Safety and Health from National Labor College in Silver Springs, MD.

Freeholder Director Rios has over 30 years’ experience working for Conrail Corporation.

During that time, he held many offices for the Oak Island Local 6965 Transportation Communications International Union AFL-CIO, including serving as President for 10 years (1993-2003). Director Rios also has served as a certified HAZMAT instructor and training consultant. From his time at Conrail to his current role as Freeholder Director, he has been a staunch advocate for safety and health in the workplace.

Before his tenure on the Board, Freeholder Director Rios was elected four times (1981,

2000-2008) to the Borough of Carteret Council, serving as Council President from 2003 to 2008. During his time on Borough Council, he proposed the creation of the Carteret Veterans Affairs Committee and introduced other initiatives to honor local veterans. Director Rios also served as a member of the Governor’s Ethnic Advisory Commission and the National Association of Latino Elected and Appointed Officials.

In his capacity as a Middlesex County Freeholder, Director Rios has served as

Chairman of the Public Health and Education Committee (2008-2010) and Chairman of the Law and Public Safety Committee (2011). Director Rios was appointed Freeholder Director in March 2013 and was most recently re-elected in 2018.

Among his chief accomplishments as Freeholder Director are:

Establishing the Veterans Housing Assistance Program, through which more than 400 veterans and their families have been helped. As a result of this and other veteran programs, in 2016, Middlesex County was certified by three federal agencies as achieving “functional zero” for veterans’ homelessness. Functional

zero means that Middlesex County has the infrastructure and systems in place to ensure that any veteran experiencing homelessness will be able to get the support they need to quickly obtain a permanent home.

Spearheading the 2015 creation of the Middlesex County Cultural and Arts Trust Fund, which allocates $10 million each year to expand arts and cultural venues and programming to all 25 municipalities. Projects funded by this initiative include the Avenel Performing Arts Center, and the forthcoming New Brunswick Performing Arts Center and The Arts Institute of Middlesex County.

Maintaining the County’s fiscal responsibility by drawing down debt, which has been reduced by $237 million since 2014, as well as increasing the County’s retained surplus to over $74 million. This has enabled the County to maintain a AAA bond rating for 18 consecutive years.

Director Rios resides in Carteret with his wife, Michelina. They have two daughters and

two granddaughters.

Brian M. Hughes continues to build upon a family legacy of public service as the fourth

person to serve as Mercer County Executive.

Brian is the son of former Governor and Supreme Court Chief Justice Richard J. Hughes,

and has lived in Mercer County most of his life, both in Trenton and in Princeton. Prior to

becoming County Executive, he served as Deputy Executive Director of the Governor's

Council on Alcoholism and Drug Abuse. In 1997, Brian was elected to the Board of

Chosen Freeholders and served two terms, including a term as Freeholder President.

Brian is implementing a vision of County government as a service engine incorporating

sound financial management, equality and integrity to enhance the quality of life in

Mercer. He is delivering on that vision by enhancing essential services as well as

providing an award-winning parks and recreation system while minimizing the impact on

taxpayers. He supports the maintenance and improvement of our transportation

infrastructure as important components to job growth and the opportunity for business to

thrive.

Brian makes a special effort to help County residents who need it the most. Services for

older adults, disadvantaged children and teens, and low-income families are a high

priority, with millions of dollars in funding being widely invested in programs for these

constituencies.

Brian spearheaded the critical effort to construct a new criminal courthouse in downtown

Trenton to replace the century-old courthouse. Completed in January 2013, this was the

largest, most complex public construction project in the County's history. Not only did

this project bring hundreds of new labor jobs, but it has also restored some of the beauty

to downtown Trenton. The new courthouse was built to environmentally friendly LEED

standards as well, which simply means it will use energy, light and water very efficiently

-- saving taxpayer money in the future.

During his time in office, Brian has also championed a variety of initiatives to improve

health and safety in Mercer County's constituent communities.

With the belief that all people deserve equal opportunity and equal protection, in 2006

Brian played an instrumental role in making full health, dental, vision and retirement

benefits available to County employees in domestic partnerships. And when it came to

solving the family homelessness problem in Mercer County, instead of sticking with the

status quo, Brian took a risk on a new model, and as a result reduced family homelessness

by 74 percent, putting Mercer in the national spotlight for its success.

As County Executive, Brian has led an ambitious effort to further the County's open

space preservation efforts, including a successful ballot initiative that provides additional

funding to the program. Since the beginning of the Hughes administration in 2004, more

than 5,000 acres of open space and farmland have been preserved by Mercer County and

its preservation partners, a number that keeps growing. Twenty percent of the County

land area is now preserved, ensuring natural resources and local agriculture will always

have a place in Mercer County.

Brian is a graduate of Thomas Edison State College. He lives in Princeton and is married

to Pamela Rago Hughes. The couple has a son, Sullivan.

LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR SHEILA Y. OLIVER

Sheila Y. Oliver took the oath of office as New Jersey’s 2nd Lieutenant Governor on January 16, 2018. She is the first woman of color to serve in statewide elected office in New Jersey history. She was appointed Commissioner of the Department of Community Affairs by Governor Phil Murphy.

Lt. Governor Oliver is a 40-year resident of East Orange, and a native of Newark.

First elected to the General Assembly in 2003, she became Speaker in 2010 – the first African-American woman in state history to serve as such, and just the second in the nation’s history to lead a state legislative house.

She has chaired the Assembly Human Services Committee, and served on the Labor, Higher Education, Women and Children, Commerce and Economic Development, and Transportation and Independent Authorities committees. She also sat on the Joint Committee on the Public Schools and the Joint Committee on Economic Justice and Equal Employment Opportunity.

Prior to her election to the General Assembly, she served as an Essex County Freeholder, from 1996 to 1999, and was a member of the East Orange Board of Education. She also served as an Assistant County Administrator for Essex County from 2000 until 2018.

An alumna of Newark’s Weequahic High School, she went on to graduate cum laude with a bachelor’s degree in Sociology from Lincoln University in Pennsylvania. Lt. Governor Oliver holds a Master of Science Degree in Community Organization, Planning and Administration from Columbia University and has received honorary doctorates of humane letters from both Lincoln and Montclair Universities, in addition to Berkeley and Essex County College.

Lt. Governor Oliver began her career in public service as the Director of the Office of Youth Services and Special Projects for the City of Newark, where she focused on preparing young people ages 14 to 21 for post-secondary education and entry into the workforce. She later became the Development Director for The Newark Literacy Campaign while working at Caldwell College as the Coordinator of Career Guidance within the Educational Opportunity Fund Program.

She has taught college courses in Achievement Motivation, Non-Profit Management, and Pre-College Preparation, served as a consultant to a variety of non-profit organizations, and spent several years as the Director of the Essex County Division of Community Action, an anti-poverty initiative.

Lt. Governor Oliver has served on the boards of numerous non-profit organizations, including the East Orange General Hospital Board of Trustees, the United Way, the Newark Coalition for Neighborhoods, the Newark Collaboration Group, the Rutgers-Newark Educational Opportunity Fund Advisory Council, the Global Women’s Leadership Collaborative of NJ, the Essex County and East Orange Committees on the Status of Women, Programs for Parents, and a number of other community-based entities. She has held memberships in the Women’s Political Caucus of NJ, the NAACP, and the Urban League.

Lt. Governor Oliver has received numerous accolades and awards from organizations across the country honoring her life-long public service and advocacy for women’s equality, education and social justice.

The Amazing Kreskin

With a showman’s flair, a comedian’s wit, and the capacities of a bona fide Mentalist or thought

reader, The Amazing Kreskin has, for six decades, dramatized the unique facets of the human

mind…his own. His very name has become an integral part of pop culture throughout the world.

During the past fifty years Kreskin has had a television series, his own board game by Milton

Bradley, twenty published books, and a major motion picture inspired by his work.

In the 1970’s Kreskin headlined his own television series for five and a half seasons called, ‘The

Amazing World of Kreskin’which can now be viewed on www.hulu.com. The airline industry

estimates that Kreskin has flown over 3 million miles, to reach a vast international audience with

his unique brand of Mentalism.

To reveal his remarkable diversity, John Romero, a leading gaming authority quotes in his book,

‘Las Vegas The Untold Story’ “Kreskin is the most dangerous person in the world with a

deck of cards. The casinos would rather deal to Willie Sutton”.

Actor/Producer Tom Hanks released in 2009 the feature film, ‘The Great Buck Howard”. It is

announced at the end of the movie that the inspiration for the main character is The Amazing

Kreskin. That character is played by the star of the movie, John Malkovich.

In the 2010 movie, ‘Dinner for Schmucks’, the character played by Zach Galifianakis has as his

hero and influence The Amazing Kreskin, which further exemplifies the wide scope of Kreskin’s

exposure and attention. It is showcased with his recurring appearances on Johnny Carson, Regis

Philbin, David Letterman and most recently Jimmy Fallon, Neil Cavuto and Howard Stern.

2014 brought a whole new realm to Kreskin’s arsenal when he mentally trained three up and

coming boxers to victory. One of the winners was Heather “The Heat” Hardy and he was further

brought in to prepare and condition her mentally for a contest of worldwide dimension. In

October of 2014, he was brought into the ring to join her in the celebration of her success; a

success that he helped prepare her for in the preceding months. She had just won the WBC

International Junior Featherweight Championship of the World.

Through the years Kreskin has received worldwide recognition for extraordinary predictions,

often

dealing with international affairs, and sports. On Late Night with Jimmy Fallon, Kreskin

predicted the

2012 United States Presidential Election, 18 months before Election Day. As revealed on Fox

television

for the 2016 Super Bowl, Kreskin made three predictions. He foresaw the deciding quarter of

the game,

the winning team, and their final score.

In March 2016 Kreskin released his 20thbook entitled, “In Real Time”featuring his major

predictions for the next several hundred years.

The day after Donald Trump was elected to the Presidency,Fox Television News revealed that

Kreskin

predicted Trumps election 11 months ahead of time, Live on December 9th, 2015 on FOX 5

Good Day DC Show in Washington, D.C.

Kreskin now offers the sum of 1 Million dollars to anyone who can prove that he employs paid

secret assistants, or confederates, or utilizes hidden, secret, electronic devices to accomplish his

mental presentations.

At 83 years of age, Kreskin shows no signs of slowing down. He continues to perform his

legendary live shows in front of packed audiences around the world, playing over 200+ dates

yearly.

Payton Taylor. A steadfast and soulful young lady, she lets her heart do the writing and her

voice tell the story. She's country steeped in soul, in the spirit of the female pioneers of those

genres. But don't etch those labels in stone anywhere. Her music education started with her

grandfather's record collection, relics of a time past in the modern world, but captivating to her

musical “old soul.”

At 15, Payton made the move to Nashville with a few bandmates and a dream. Writing by day

and performing in the honky tonks of lower broadway to pay rent, Payton received a smoky bar

first hand education into how to be an entertainer. A year later, Payton’s family decided to follow

their daughter to Music City, where she’s continued to develop her soulful sound as a country

music singer-songwriter.

Payton has spent the past six years learning from some of the best songwriters and producers

in the industry, including Wade Kirby (George Strait’s No. 1 “I Saw God Today,” Blake Shelton’s

No. 1 “Doin’ What She Likes”) and Phil O’Donnell (George Strait’s No. 1 “Give It All We Got

Tonight,” Clay Walker’s “She Won’t Be Lonely Long”). She has also opened for Charlie Daniels

and was invited to the Grand Ole Opry stage by William Michael Morgan.

Grounded in the strong familial bond she has and the music heritage she was raised on, she

brings a refreshing voice to her music that is resolute, both on and off stage.

With her smart and soulful take on the music that moves her, she is poised to make an indelible

impression on the city she loves. Music City has it's next game changer in this young lady.

BOILER PLATE BIO:

Payton Taylor, born January 29, 1997, grew up in South Jersey and developed an “old soul” through listening to her grandfather’s favorite records as a child. In 2013, Payton convinced her family to make the move to Music City, where she’s continued to develop her soulful sound as a country music singer-songwriter. Earlier this year, Payton was featured as an artist on American

Idol after appearing only to accompany her younger sister on acoustic guitar. After hearing Payton’s rendition of “Angel From Montgomery,” the judges’ suspicions were confirmed and both sisters were offered their own golden ticket. Her performance was featured by Good

Morning America, Billboard, Hollywood Reporter, Taste of Country, and Sounds Like Nashville. Payton has spent the past five years learning from some of the best songwriters and producers in the industry, including Wade Kirby (George Strait’s No. 1 “I Saw God Today,” Blake Shelton’s No. 1 “Doin’ What She Likes”) and Phil O’Donnell (George Strait’s No. 1 “Give It All We Got Tonight,” Clay Walker’s “She Won’t Be Lonely Long”). She has also opened for Charlie Daniels and was invited to the Grand Ole Opry stage by William Michael Morgan. Payton released her newest single “Shotgun And A Shovel” July 16th. You can listen to Payton's newest single “Shotgun And A Shovel” HERE.

Tahesha Way New Jersey Secretary of State

Tahesha Way serves as New Jersey’s 34th Secretary of State. Nominated for appointment by Governor Phil Murphy on December 18, 2017, Ms. Way was sworn in on February 26, 2018. As Secretary of State, Ms. Way holds one of the nation’s oldest constitutional offices and leads a department with a diverse portfolio. She serves as New Jersey’s top election official, overseeing the state Division of Elections and its work in securing our democracy and ensuring broad, fair access to the right to vote. Ms. Way also chairs New Jersey’s Complete Count Commission, a 27 member non-partisan commission established to encourage full

participation in the 2020 Census. In addition to the critical work protecting what Secretary Way calls the “fraternal twins of democracy,” Ms. Way also oversees the state government offices supporting New Jersey’s vibrant arts, culture, history, and business communities.

Throughout her career, Secretary Way has devoted herself to public service. Prior to becoming Secretary of State, Secretary Way was an Administrative Law Judge for the State of New Jersey. In 2006, Secretary Way was elected to the Passaic County Board of Chosen Freeholders and served as the Freeholder Director in 2009. She served as special counsel for the Passaic County Board of Social Services overseeing all agency litigation. She also served as a council member for the New Jersey Highlands Water Protection and Planning Council. She is the former president of the Women Empowered Democratic Organization of Passaic County, an organization dedicated to empowering Democratic women by increasing their participation with the goal of achieving greater equality in the political process. Secretary Way also previously served on the Board of Directors for the Institute for Women’s Policy Research, a leading national think tank geared towards advancing dialogue and policy for improving women’s lives and their families.

Secretary Way is a graduate of Brown University, where she served as Vice President of the collegiate chapter of the NAACP, President of her Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, taught religious education, and was a radio announcer for WBRU-FM. Ms. Way holds a juris doctor from the University of Virginia School of Law at Charlottesville, where she clerked for the Virginia Legal Aid Society and the United Steelworkers of America.

Secretary Way lives in Passaic County with her husband, former New York Giant and NFL executive Charles Way, and their four daughters. Secretary Way has been a member of the New Jersey State Bar Association, Garden State Bar Association, National Association of Women Judges, Association of Black Women Lawyers, Passaic County Bar Association, and the New Jersey Women’s Lawyers Association.

SENATOR SAMUEL D. THOMPSON, PH.D.

Senator Samuel (Sam) D. Thompson, Ph.D., was a member of the New Jersey General Assembly

representing the 13th Legislative District since 1998 and was elected to the Senate in 2011 representing

the 12th Legislative District serving parts of Monmouth, Middlesex, Ocean and Burlington Counties. In

previous sessions, he has served on Assembly Committees including; Health and Senior Services,

Housing and Local Government, Transportation, Labor, and Family and Women Services. Various task

forces and commissions on which the Senator has served include; The State Council for Adult Literacy

Education Services, NJ Commission to Deter Criminal Activity, Commission on Business Efficiency of

Public Schools, NJ Advisory Council on Elder Care, Assembly Task Force on Grand Parenting, Joint

Commission on Public Schools, Adolescence Violence Task Force, Task Force on Pain Management,

Managed Care Task Force and Continuing Care Task Force. Currently Senator Thompson serves on the

Budget & Appropriations Committee, the State Government, Wagering, Tourism & Historic Preservation

Committee, the Education Committee, the Joint Housing Affordability Commission, Pre-Trial Service

Review Commission, the Joint Committee on Public Schools, Smart Freight Railroad Study Commission,

Joint Legislative Task Force on Health Insurance Exchange Implementation, Statewide Public Safety

Communications Commission, the Mandated Health Benefits Advisory Commission, the Board of

Trustees for the New Jersey State Museum, Joint Committee on Public Schools, Commission on Capital

Budget and Planning, Select Committee on School Funding Fairness, Fire Safety Commission, and the

Advisory Commission for the New Jersey Hall of Fame. Senator Thompson was one of only two

members of the Senate rated as a Taxpayer Hero in the 216th session by the Americans For Prosperity

based upon his votes which had the most impact on the states’ economic conditions and the tax burden of

every New Jerseyan.

Areas of particular interest to Senator Thompson include healthcare, senior citizen issues, education, tax

relief and transportation. He was prime sponsor of legislation that created the NJ Kid Care and NJ Family

Care programs which provided health insurance for low income working families. Senator Thompson

sponsored the NJ SAVER property tax rebate program which has been returning tax dollars to NJ

taxpayers since 1999, and a measure that doubled the income eligibility levels for seniors to qualify for a

freeze on their property taxes.

Senator Thompson is a Korean War Veteran and has been honored as Vietnam Veterans of America New

Jersey State Council Legislator of the Year (2012), New Jersey State Jewish War Veterans Legislator of

the Year (2006), and New Jersey State VFW Legislator of the Year (2005). Senator Thompson has also

been honored as Legislator of the Year by the NJ State Nurses Association (2002), the Garden State

Pharmacy Owners of the NJ State Pharmacists Association (2001), the NJ Recreation and Parks

Association (2003), the New Jersey Shore Builders (2004), and the NJ Association of Health, Physical

Education, and Recreational Dance (2000). He was also cited by the Association of Asian Americans for

Excellence in Public Service (2002), by the Indo-American Festival, Inc. “For Continued Support of

Indian American Community” (2000).

Senator Thompson received his B.S. degree with majors in chemistry and math from the University of

Arkansas (Little Rock) and his doctorate in physical chemistry from Louisiana State University. He was

employed as a research scientist for six years by DuPont and J.P. Stevens prior to 22 years with the NJ

Department of Health. In the latter position he directed a variety of laboratory programs concluding his

career as the Director of Clinical Laboratory Improvement Service in which capacity he licensed and

regulated all of the clinical laboratories and blood banks in the State. During this period he also served

for 10 years as a member of the US Armed Forces Epidemiological Board. Subsequently, Senator

Thompson was employed for three years by the NJ Turnpike Authority as Director of Planning, Analysis

and Government Relations and later as Director of Communications and Government Relations. Today,

Dr. Thompson is a full-time legislator.