NJ Cops September 2016 | Page 4

The President’s Message NEW JERSEY STATE POLICEMEN’S BENEVOLENT ASSOCIATION EXECUTIVE BOARD PATRICK COLLIGAN State President MARC KOVAR Executive Vice-President Peter Andreyev 1st Vice-President Andy Haase 2nd Vice-President Henry Werner 3rd Vice-President Michael Pellegrino 4th Vice-President Mark Aurigemma 5th Vice-President Mark Messinger 6th Vice-President Eugene Dello 7th Vice-President Keith Bennett 8th Vice-President Richard Kott 9th Vice-President Bruce Chester 10th Vice-President Margaret Hammond 11th Vice-President Frederick Ludd, Sr. 12th Vice-President Michael Kaniuk Financial Secretary George Miller Recording Secretary John Monsees Treasurer Luke Sciallo Trustee Frank P. Cipully Trustee John Cernek Trustee Ed Carattini, Jr. Trustee Michael Freeman Trustee Bryan Flammia Trustee Robert Ormezzano Trustee Joseph Biamonte Sergeant-at-Arms Terrance Benson, Sr. Sergeant-at-Arms Rodney Furby Sergeant-at-Arms Charles Schwartz Sergeant-at-Arms Patrick Moran Sergeant-at-Arms Joseph A. Macones Sergeant-at-Arms Sean Plasket Sergeant-at-Arms Michael Tardio Sergeant-at-Arms Michael Heller Sergeant-at-Arms Keith Curry Sergeant-at-Arms Chris Ricciotti Sergeant-at-Arms 4 NEW JERSEY COPS ■ SEPTEMBER 2016 ‘You F%@*$#= Jersey Boys are something else!’ Let’s attribute that quote to the guy who owns it: Chad King from the Baton Rouge Police Department. If you don’t like his language I apologize, but I happen to love it. That was Chad’s response when State Delegate Jesse Novalis and company from East Hanover Local 227 pulled into Baton Rouge with about 20,000 pounds of household items for the 200 officers who lost their homes in the floods down there. You see, Chad King was there when many of you “Jersey Boys” went to lend help when Hurricane Katrina hit Louisiana in 2005, and Patrick Chad vividly remembers our response to his city when three of its law enforceColligan ment officers were buried there in July. We are something else Chad, thank you for noticing. We’ll wear that description proudly. Moving on to another matter, Executive Vice-President Marc Kovar and I, and the NJ State PBA Executive Board, have been sworn in for our next term. I am honored to lead this incredible organization, and represent all of you for the next three years. It has been an incredible and rewarding experience. I will tell you that I walk into my office every single day, and I feel grateful for the opportunity that you have given us. Needless to say, we are at the helm of this organization during very trying times for our profession–probably the worst in recent history–but as I’ve said here in the past, the cycle will change again. And now for a word about the upcoming election of a retiree trustee to the PFRS Board. I know that quite a few candidates have emerged, but the State PBA is officially endorsing Kevin Lyons. Kevin was a long time State Delegate who has worked at PBA headquarters the past several years, administering our incredibly successful Legal Protection Plan. He was the architect of the very plan that offers retiree HR-218 coverage. The position gives him access to our staff, and the ability to come to every PBA meeting to update our delegates and hear their concerns. Quite frankly, I have read some of the goals and promises of the other candidates, which only confirmed my suspicion that they are wholly unqualified and don’t even comprehend the position they are running for. This is not a position for somebody who has a fickle whim to run for something. This is a position that requires a strong working knowledge of our Police & Fireman’s Retirement System. I am asking our retirees to vote for Kevin Lyons. You will not be disappointed.