At the May board meeting of the Union County College Foundation, six community members were elected as new trustees to the board.
The new members are: Rev. Dr. Selina D. Carter of Plainfield, Rev. Dr. Francis A. Hubbard of Berkeley Heights, Ken Orchard of Little Silver, Colleen Shea of Cranford, Steven St. Pierre Fernandez of Rahway, and Darielle Walsh of Westfield.
All six members are strong supporters of the mission of the foundation and believe that education is one of the most important factors to economic mobility.
Rev. Dr. Selina D. Carter, of Plainfield, Union ‘03, has more than 40 years of experience in technology management and 15 years of experience in the non-profit sector. She is currently employed at AIG Technologies and is also the Founder and Executive Director of Spirit of Excellence-Leadership, Inc., a non-profit organization for adolescent girls and women. Dr. Carter not only has a track record of success in getting program initiatives off the ground but ensuring they flourish as well, which will assist the foundation with cultivating potential donors.
Rev. Dr. Francis A. Hubbard, of Berkeley Heights, is now a “retired” Episcopal priest, serving as an occasional Sunday substitute. During his career, he led a congregation that tripled in size and became more diverse. He established regional church policies to increase support for the churches and clergy in economically poor areas. Dr. Hubbard has extensive experience in writing and public speaking to inspire and motivate others. He is committed to sharing the mission of the College and its opportunities to prospective students.
Ken Orchard, of Little Silver, Union ‘74, recently retired as President of TriState Capital Bank’s New Jersey operations. Prior to joining TriState Capital, Ken served as the New Jersey Division Manager for Capital One Bank where he led a team of 17 commercial real estate professionals. He also served as Senior Vice President, Division Manager for Wells Fargo Bank where he was responsible for a portfolio of approximately $2 billion in commercial real estate assets. A financial services leader with extensive experience in group organization and sales motivation, Mr. Orchard brings his 50 years of banking and financial experience to the board.
Colleen Shea, of Cranford, is the Vice President of Sales for Pen Company of America in Garwood. This family owned business has been manufacturing pens in the U.S. for more than four generations. She joined the company in 2003. In 2020, at the onset of the pandemic, they pivoted from manufacturing pens to making face shields for the healthcare industry. This change also kept their employees employed and their business open. From the sale of the face shields, Pen Company of America made a generous donation the foundation and created the “Tomorrow’s Healthcare Heroes” scholarship.
Steven St. Pierre Fernandez, of Rahway, Union ‘08, is an attorney with O’Toole Scrivo, LLC. He has an active litigation practice, focusing on the areas of general liability defense, complex commercial litigation, and professional liability. He previously served as Project Specialist for U.S. Senator Cory Booker. In this position, he oversaw community projects with at-risk youth in Elizabeth. Mr. St. Pierre Fernandez has worked with various non-profits including the Elizabeth Coalition to House the Homeless. He attributes his success today to the education, training, and leadership skills he attained while attending the College.
Darielle Walsh, of Westfield, has been active in the local community for more than 30 years as a community volunteer and non-profit consultant. She served 27 years on the Westfield Area YMCA Board of Directors, including as board president. Ms. Walsh has also served as an officer for the Westfield Board of Education, a member of the Westfield Municipal Planning Board, and is the current President of the Greater Westfield Area Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors. As a non-profit consultant, she specializes in non-profit board governance, leadership, and effectiveness.
“The foundation welcomes these six community minded leaders as new trustees to our Board. With their help, we will continue to expand the foundation’s mission in the community and share the opportunities available to students at Union County College,” said Doug Rouse, executive director.