FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                             

CONTACT: Michelle Vernuccio, Media Coordinator

Partnership for a Drug-Free New Jersey

(973)467-2100, ext. 24

michelle@drugfreenj.org

            Verizon New Jersey President Dennis Bone To Be Honored by Partnership for a Drug-Free New Jersey

(Gala invite at end of release)

MILLBURN-- The Partnership for a Drug-Free New Jersey is proud to announce that Dennis M. Bone, President of Verizon New Jersey, will be honored at the organization’s Twentieth Anniversary Gala on April 26, 2012, with the Angel of Hope Award.  The award is presented to an individual or organization in recognition of their outstanding leadership in New Jersey’s effort to stem the tide of substance abuse among every youth, family, community and workplace.  In the organization’s twenty-year history, only five others were recognized with this honor, including McCarter & English, LLP; Governor Jon S. Corzine; Governor James E. McGreevey; Alfred Koeppe, President of Newark Alliance; and Governor Christine Todd Whitman. 

“Dennis Bone has been a strong supporter of the Partnership’s mission to protect New Jersey residents from the serious public health issue of substance abuse,” said Angelo Valente, executive director of the Partnership for a Drug-Free New Jersey.  “We deeply value our relationship with Dennis and Verizon for supporting these efforts over the years.”

Verizon’s support includes annual sponsorship of a fourth grade substance abuse prevention initiative that affects over 30,000 New Jersey students annually. 

“Verizon has long supported the mission of the Partnership for a Drug-Free New Jersey,” stated Bone. “The earlier the age the anti-drug message is communicated, the better the chances for it to be received, accepted and acted on.  That's why we're proud to have hosted the annual PDFNJ/Verizon Design a Fourth Grade Folder Contest with thousands of entries submitted each year.  It is an honor to receive the Angel of Hope Award, especially as PDFNJ celebrates its 20th anniversary."

Bone began his career with Verizon in 1979.  He is a graduate of West Virginia University Institute of Technology, with a Bachelor of Science degree in mathematics, and received his Masters in Business Administration in finance and economics from Rutgers University.  He also holds a Master’s of Science degree in counseling from The Johns Hopkins University, and is the recipient of three honorary doctorates. Bone is an active civic volunteer, serving on numerous boards, including the New Jersey Institute of Technology, the Newark Alliance, the Liberty Science Center, and Chairman of the New Jersey State Chamber of Commerce.   Bone is also Chairman of Choose New Jersey, a non-profit organization created to encourage and nurture economic growth in New Jersey.  Verizon has been supporting the mission of the Partnership for a Drug-Free New Jersey since he was named to its Executive Committee eleven years ago. 

John Azzarello, a partner with the Chatham firm of Arseneault, Whipple, Fassett and Azzarello, LLP, will serve as chair of the Angel of Hope Gala, being held at the Pleasantdale Chateau, in West Orange, New Jersey.

(Click image to enlarge) 

For more information on the Gala or PDFNJ programs and initiatives, please contact 973-467-2100, ext. 19, or visit www.drugfreenj.org.

Best known for its statewide anti-drug advertising campaign, the Partnership for a Drug-Free New Jersey is a private not-for-profit coalition of professionals from the communications, corporate and government communities whose collective mission is to reduce demand for illicit drugs in New Jersey through media communication.  To date, more than $55 million in broadcast time and print space has been donated to the Partnership’s New Jersey campaign, making it the largest public service advertising campaign in New Jersey’s history. Since its inception the Partnership has garnered 98 Advertising and Public Relations Awards from National, Regional & Statewide Media Organizations.

#   #    #