Floor Statements

Madam Speaker, I rise in honor of National Women's History Month, and I would like to congratulate a number of outstanding women who will be recognized at the Somerset County's Commission on the Status of Women awards in New Jersey's Seventh Congressional District.

The Commission presents awards annually in celebration of National Women's History Month in March. This year there are 17 women being honored, including entrepreneurs, educators and hometown heroes whose community service is considered extraordinary.

This year's Management Award winner is Nandita Kamdar of Branchburg. She is currently vice president at Paulus, Sokolowski & Sartor in Warren and in charge of the mechanical-engineering department.

Nandita earned her MBA in management from Rutgers. She holds multiple engineering licenses in New Jersey, Maryland, Pennsylvania and California.

I am pleased to congratulate Nandita Kamdar for her outstanding efforts and share her good work with my colleagues in the United States Congress and the American people.

Madam Speaker, I rise in honor of National Women's History Month, and I would like to congratulate a number of outstanding women who will be recognized at the Somerset County's Commission on the Status of Women awards in New Jersey's Seventh Congressional District.

The Commission presents awards annually in celebration of National Women's History Month in March. This year there are 17 women being honored, including entrepreneurs, educators and hometown heroes whose community service is considered extraordinary.

This year's Business Award winner is Ann Minzner Conley, the vice president of Loss Control Services for Chubb Commercial Insurance.

Ann is the company's executive-liability specialist. She mentors young adults considering careers in science and engineering, and also coaches youth soccer and plays on the Basking Ridge Mavericks women's soccer team.

I am pleased to congratulate Ann Minzner Conley on her outstanding efforts and share her good work with my colleagues in the United States Congress and the American people.

Madam Speaker, I rise in honor of National Women's History Month, and I would like to congratulate a number of outstanding women who will be recognized at the Somerset County's Commission on the Status of Women awards in New Jersey's Seventh Congressional District.

The Commission presents awards annually in celebration of National Women's History Month in March. This year there are 17 women being honored, including entrepreneurs, educators and hometown heroes whose community service is considered extraordinary.

This year's Journalism Award winner is Alice Steinbacher of Bernardsville, where she is an accomplished writer.

Alice began her career in marketing, radio, advertising, public relations and publishing in 1970 as marketing assistant at John Blair and Co. in New York City.

In 1979, she opened her own agency, Steinbacher Advertising.

She published Renaissance Morristown. Alice edits and publishes Chapter II for the seniors of the Somerset Hills.

I am pleased to congratulate Alice Steinbacher for her outstanding efforts and

share her good work with my colleagues in the United States Congress and the American people.

Madam Speaker, I rise in honor of National Women's History Month, and I would like to congratulate a number of outstanding women who will be recognized at the Somerset County's Commission on the Status of Women awards in New Jersey's Seventh Congressional District.

The Commission presents awards annually in celebration of National Women's History Month in March. This year there are 17 women being honored, including entrepreneurs, educators and hometown heroes whose community service is considered extraordinary.

This year's Health Services Award winner is Barbara Tofani of Hillsborough, where she currently works as a registered nurse.

Since 2005, Barbara has been the director of the Hunterdon Regional Cancer Center in Raritan Township.

As director of The Center for Nursing and Health Careers from 2001- 05, she was responsible for developing and implementing a strategic plan to address the health care work-force shortage in New Jersey.

I am pleased to congratulate Barbara Tofani for her outstanding efforts and share her good work with my colleagues in the United States Congress and the American people.

Madam Speaker, I rise in honor of National Women's History Month, and I would like to congratulate a number of outstanding women who will be recognized at the Somerset County's Commission on the Status of Women awards in New Jersey's Seventh Congressional District.

The Commission presents awards annually in celebration of National Women's History Month in March. This year there are 17

women being honored, including entrepreneurs, educators and hometown heroes whose community service is considered extraordinary.

This year's Social Services Award winner is Barbara Schlichting of Stockton. She has worked for Somerset Treatment Services in Somerville for 32 years, first as a counselor, then as a supervisor, and now as executive director.

Barbara has worked with countless staff and clients to provide quality and meaningful services in the field of drug and alcohol counseling and psychiatric services.

She works tirelessly to secure grants for those with tremendous hardships and runs a successful agency that provides sometimes- difficult-to-find services. The agency's many counselors over the years also have benefited from Barbara's knowledge and dedication.

I am pleased to congratulate Barbara Schlichting for her outstanding efforts and share her good work with my colleagues in the United States Congress and the American people.

Madam Speaker, I rise in honor of National Women's History Month, and I would like to congratulate a number of outstanding women who will be recognized at the Somerset County's Commission on the Status of Women awards in New Jersey's Seventh Congressional District.

The Commission presents awards annually in celebration of National Women's History Month in March. This year there are 17 women being honored, including entrepreneurs, educators and hometown heroes whose community service is considered extraordinary.

This year's Volunteerism Award winner is Tina Rear of Hillsborough. She is the founder of Care to Share Support Network.

Tina founded the organization after her son was diagnosed with autism. It now serves special-needs children and their families.

She also established a grant program to offset the financial hardships related to the therapy and medical care needed by children with disabilities.

Tina has worked with police to create an Emergency Data Sheet to help such children in case of an emergency.

I am pleased to congratulate Tina Rear for her outstanding efforts and share her good work with my colleagues in the United States Congress and the American people.

Madam Speaker, I rise in honor of National Women's History Month, and I would like to congratulate a number of outstanding women who will be recognized at the Somerset County's Commission on the Status of Women awards in New Jersey's Seventh Congressional District.

The Commission presents awards annually in celebration of National Women's History Month in March. This year there are 17 women being honored, including entrepreneurs, educators and hometown heroes whose community service is considered extraordinary.

This year's Volunteerism Award winner is Nicolette Ash of Bridgewater. She is a 17-year-old founder of MADE or Making A Difference Everywhere.

The organization provides volunteer opportunities to teens in the Bridgewater area and allows them to gain community-service hours required for school, scholarships and religious groups.

Projects have included cleaning trash along the Raritan River, raking leaves for senior citizens, preparing food bundles for needy families and many more.

I am pleased to congratulate Nicolette Ash for her outstanding efforts and share her good work with my colleagues in the United States Congress and the American people.

Madam Speaker, I rise in honor of National Women's History Month, and I would like to congratulate a number of outstanding women who will be recognized at the Somerset County's Commission on the Status of Women awards in New Jersey's Seventh Congressional District.

The Commission presents awards annually in celebration of National Women's History Month in March. This year there are 17

women being honored, including entrepreneurs, educators and hometown heroes whose community service is considered extraordinary.

This year's Shirley Noble Volunteerism Award will be given to Doris Zampella, owner and executive vice president of E.A. Boniakowski Agency Inc. in Green Brook.

Doris also is a founding partner of two insurance agencies, Jaz Maz Enterprises LLC, and owns and operates three Rita's franchises in Central Jersey. She is a volunteer Emergency Medical Technician with the Martinsville Rescue Squad.

I am pleased to congratulate Doris Zampella for her outstanding efforts and share her good work with my colleagues in the United States Congress and the American people.

Madam Speaker, I rise in honor of National Women's History Month, and I would like to congratulate a number of outstanding women who will be recognized at the Somerset County's Commission on the Status of Women awards in New Jersey's Seventh Congressional District.

The Commission presents awards annually in celebration of National Women's History Month in March. This year there are 17 women being honored, including entrepreneurs, educators and hometown heroes whose community service is considered extraordinary.

This year's Hometown Hero Award winner is Edith Lit of Manville.

For the past seven years, Edith has organized a ``Wish List'' campaign to make the holidays brighter for clients of Alternatives Inc. by encouraging her fellow Somerset County Library System employees to adopt a person or family.

For the past three years, she has included the Somerset Regional Animal Shelter in the libraries' ``Wish List'' drive.

Edith also participates in the ``point in time'' survey conducted by the county Department of Human Services to identify homeless individuals and families, and actively organizes coworkers and friends to help too.

I am pleased to congratulate Edith Lit for her outstanding efforts and share her good work with my colleagues in the United States Congress and the American people.

Madam Speaker, I rise in honor of National Women's History Month, and I

would like to congratulate a number of outstanding women who will be recognized at the Somerset County's Commission on the Status of Women awards in New Jersey's Seventh Congressional District.

The Commission presents awards annually in celebration of National Women's History Month in March. This year there are 17 women being honored, including entrepreneurs, educators and hometown heroes whose community service is considered extraordinary.

This year's Education Award winner is Karyn Malinowski of Manville. Karyn is the director of the Rutgers Equine Science Center at the New Jersey Agricultural Experiment Station in New Brunswick.

Karyn has been a faculty member at Rutgers University since 1978. She is believed to be the first female equine-extension specialist in the nation.

I am pleased to congratulate Karyn Malinowski for her outstanding efforts and share her good work with my colleagues in the United States Congress and the American people.

Madam Speaker, I rise in honor of National Women's History Month, and I would like to congratulate a number of outstanding women who will be recognized at the Somerset County's Commission on the Status of Women awards in New Jersey's Seventh Congressional District.

The Commission presents awards annually in celebration of National Women's History Month in March. This year there are 17 women being honored, including entrepreneurs, educators and hometown heroes whose community service is considered extraordinary.

This year's Education Award winner is Helen ``Chickie'' Haines of Hillsborough. Chickie has helped educate thousands of students in her 38 years with the Bound Brook School District.

She started as an elementary school teacher, and in 2004 became principal of the Lafayette and LaMonte elementary schools, earning the ``Who's Who Among America's Teachers'' award in 2002. Chickie has served on Hillsborough's Township Committee, Zoning Board, environmental commission and open space committee.

I am pleased to congratulate Helen Haines on her outstanding efforts and share her good work with my colleagues in the United States Congress and the American people.

Madam Speaker, I rise in honor of National Women's History Month, and I would like to congratulate a number of outstanding women who will be recognized at the Somerset County's Commission on the Status of Women awards in New Jersey's Seventh Congressional District.

The Commission presents awards annually in celebration of National Women's History Month in March. This year there are 17 women being honored, including entrepreneurs, educators and hometown heroes whose community service is considered extraordinary.

This year's Education Award winner is Carole Payne of Boonton. Carole serves as the school nurse at Crim School. Carole helps develop health policies and procedures in the Bridgewater-Raritan School District. The New Jersey Department of Health asked her to come up with a manual on emergency care in the school setting for school nurses.

Carole is a certified EMT and active on the Boonton First Aid Squad. She also teaches at Beth Israel Medical Center in Newark and won the distinguished Johnson & Johnson School Nurse Fellowship.

I am pleased to congratulate Carole Payne for her outstanding efforts and share her good work with my colleagues in the United States Congress and the American people.

Madam Speaker, I rise in honor of National Women's History Month, and I would like to congratulate a number of outstanding women who will be recognized at the Somerset County's Commission on the Status of Women awards in New Jersey's Seventh Congressional District.

The Commission presents awards annually in celebration of National Women's History Month in March. This year there are 17 women being honored, including entrepreneurs, educators and hometown heroes whose community service is considered extraordinary.

This year's Education Award winner is Elizabeth Stitley of Somerville. She currently serves as a supervisor of Allied Health Programs at Somerset County Technology Institute since 2003.

In this capacity, Elizabeth has spearheaded the growth of the program, which now offers two full-time, day practical nursing programs and an evening program. She was instrumental in adding a new skills laboratory with a task-training center that will soon be equipped with cameras.

Elizabeth has served as president of the Practical Nurse Educators Council and of the New Jersey League for Nursing, and received the league's 2004 President's Award. She also is a member of Sigma Theta Tau, the international nursing honor society.

I am pleased to congratulate Elizabeth Stitley for her outstanding efforts and share her good work with my colleagues in the United States Congress and the American people.

Madam Speaker, I rise in honor of National Women's History Month, and I would like to congratulate a number of outstanding women who will be recognized at the Somerset County's Commission on the Status of Women awards in New Jersey's Seventh Congressional District.

The Commission presents awards annually in celebration of National Women's History Month in March. This year there are 17 women being honored, including entrepreneurs, educators and hometown heroes whose community service is considered extraordinary.

This year's Distinguished Honoree is Raritan Borough Mayor Jo-Ann Liptak, who is being honored for her decades as a teacher, volunteer work at Somerset Medical Center in Somerville, and her service on the Somerset County Planning Board. She also created the borough's annual John Basilone Memorial parade. Jo-Ann is the third generation in her family to hold office in Raritan Borough, became the municipality's first female mayor in 2007. I am pleased to congratulate Raritan Borough Mayor Jo-Ann Liptak for her outstanding efforts and share her good work with my colleagues in the United States Congress and the American people.

Madam Speaker, I rise in honor of National Women's History Month, and I would like to congratulate a number of outstanding women who will be recognized at the Somerset County's Commission on the Status of Women awards in New Jersey's Seventh Congressional District.

The Commission presents awards annually in celebration of National Women's History Month in March. This year there are 17 women being honored, including entrepreneurs, educators and hometown heroes whose community service is considered extraordinary.

This year's Entrepreneur Award winner is Lisa Kent of Hillsborough. She is the founder and president of the Luminations Group, a strategy and innovation firm.

The company began as a nonprofit enterprise that helped Hillsborough retailers and businesses develop marketing plans and materials. Today, the company includes eight female principals with more than 100 years of

combined marketing and general-management experience, and serves large brands and entrepreneurial endeavors. Lisa's company takes on pro-bono projects through Luminations' ``Charity of Choice'' program.

She co-chairs the Hebrew Education Committee at Congregation Kehilat Shalom in Hillsborough and volunteers with the Central Jersey MS Society.

I am pleased to congratulate Lisa Kent for her outstanding efforts and share her good work with my colleagues in the United States Congress and the American people.