2007 Election Results

Biography

  Rose Heck was elected to the New Jersey General Assembly to fill the vacancy left by Assemblyman Pat Schuber  in January of 1991. She was then elected to a full two-year  term in 1992. She continued, without interruption, to serve  that Bergen County district until her retirement in January  2004. She has served on the Joint Education Committee and the  Commerce and Regulated Professions Committee. She served as  Chair of the Senior Citizens and Social Services Committee and  as a member of the Environmental Quality Committee 1992-1993.  She was Chairwoman of the Assembly Advisory Council on Women  for nine years in the Legislature. She served on the Appropriations  Committee for four years and served as Chairwoman of the Policy,  Regulatory Oversight, Utilities, and Telecommunications Committee.

 She served on the Family, Women, and Children s  Services Committee, The Joint Committee on Public Schools, The  DYFS Staffing and Review Panel, The New Jersey Commission on  Israel, the New Jersey Commission on Gifted Students and the  Joint Committee on Mentoring.

 She has worked on Environmental projects throughout  the Region, including obtaining One Million Dollars towards  solving the flooding caused by the East and West Riser Ditches  in Bergen and Hudson Counties. She led the work to begin Air  Quality Studies at Teterboro Airport. First phase completed  in 2003 by The Environmental Occupational and Health Studies  Institute, Rutgers University. In addition she continues her  work to bring about the solution to the flooding resulting from  the Passaic and Saddle Rivers.

 As part of her many Environmental accomplishments  she secured the $800,000 dollars necessary for the refurbishing  of Ross Dock in Fort Lee. The Palisades Interstate Park Commission  sought her help and together they worked to save Ross Dock.  She also sponsored bills that brought $800,000 to the Marina  Cove in Edgewater, to preserve that space. She has brought money  to aid parks, and recreational areas not only in the County  but also in the State of New Jersey. She also participated in  securing dollars for the Sterling Forest project to preserve  the water so important to the northern region of New Jersey.

 She was named the first Chair of the Assembly  Legislative Light Rail Transit Panel in 1992 and served as chair  in each of the eight consecutive legislative sessions under  a Republican Administration. She continued to serve as a member  in the 210th legislative session under Democratic majority.  She has received statewide recognition for her work in this  area. The HBLRT is part of the work of her panel and will be  in operation in two years. A model of that modern trolley is  exhibited at the Liberty Science Center. She was a key player  in the introduction of DBOM, Design, Build, Operate and Maintain  process that won the State its first Federal Grant to begin  the Hudson Bergen Light Rail Transit System.

The first segment of intra-state trolley line became operation  on April 15, 2000 between Bayonne and Jersey City. In 2002 the  Hoboken station was opened.

 In the 209th Legislative Session she served as  the Assembly Majority Conference Leader. She served as Chairwoman  of Assembly Light Rail Legislative Panel for nine years, and  Chair of the Assembly Advisory Council on Women for nine years  (created by resolution through her initiatives).

The New Jersey Task Force on Child Abuse and Neglect recipient, January 23, 2004 "For Your Dedication and Courage in Advancing Legislation to Improve the Lives of Children and Families in New Jersey. You are an inspiration to all who work int he field of Child Abuse and Neglect. Rose is shown holding the award presented to her by Chairman Dr. Martin Finkel (right) and Dr. Roy Perham (left) member of the Task Force at Drumthwacket.

 She was a member of the New Jersey Task Force  on Child Abuse and Neglect, having been appointed by former  Assembly Speaker Jack Collins. She served on Sub-Committee addressing  Protection and Prevention. She also headed the Government Sector  on the Prevention Sub-Committee, which has reached out to 120  legislators, 566 mayors, and 21 counties and freeholders therein  for their input.

 She created the first in a series of Children's  Summits to be held in the State of New Jersey over eight years  ago. The Summits are co-chaired with her by Dr. Martin Finkel  Director the Center for Children UMDNJ; Dr. Jeffrey Boscamp  of Hackensack University Medical Center and Cecilia Zalkind,  Executive Directory of the New Jersey Association for Children.  She is currently in the process of introducing the Children s  Summit to a group in Newark. She is working with Senator Joseph  Doria to sponsor the sixth Children s Summit being considered  to be held in Jersey City with The Jersey City Medical Center  as host.

 1970 through 1999 - Served as managing editor  and advertising director of two papers.

 2004 2006 was a partner serving as Executive  Vice President of Watson Consulting Group located in Trenton.  She worked on Transportation, Environmental and Children s  Issues.

 2006-present is employed by the New Jersey Association  of Railroad Passengers as its Government Affairs Director working  to extend the HBLRT into Bergen County. She also has worked  with the Cape May Seashore Line to improve Tourism in that area.

 Crime Victims' Rights Summit 2001. Received "Equal  Justice Award".

Professional Affiliations

 Was a 30 year Member of New Jersey Press Association
  Board Member of Hasbrouck Heights Chamber of  Commerce
  Served as a Member of Lodi Chamber of Commerce

Education

 Attended Our Lady of Grace, Academy of the Sacred  Heart (both in Hoboken, NJ)
  Seton Hall University.

Myself with two of my six grandsons. Scott Radwin (background) and Grandmother Rose Heck at Jeffrey Radwin's (photo right) High School graduation in Warren County. .

Personal Biography

 Born Rose Marie Ciccolella in Hoboken.

 Married 45 years to Raymond Heck until his passing  December 2001; four daughters; Nancy, Laury, Rosemary and Suzan,  and eight grandchildren; six grandsons Scott, Jeffrey, Michael,  Anthony, Alec Taylor, and Joseph , and two granddaughters Jessica  Rose and Emily.

 Active member of Corpus Christi R.C. Church -  activities included participation over the years as Cafeteria  Mother, Concerned Parents Association, CYO Advisor, Carnival  Committee, Parish Newsletter, Sunday School Teacher, Testimonial  Dinner Committee and Lector. (Served numerous years on all)  Continues to be a member of Rosary Society.

 Member, Hasbrouck Heights Republican Club. Served  as Vice President and on numerous committees as chairman; 10  year County Committee Member, Republican Municipal Chair for  the third term, Active Local Campaign Committee Member 38 years.  Chaired local Cancer Drive.

 Past President of Contemporary Club of Hasbrouck  Heights. Served three terms as President of H.H. Chamber and  Past President of the Woman s Club of H.H. Currently serves  as Education Forum Chairman for Contemporary Club and served  High School Arts Show Chair for the Women s Club of H.H.  Continues on the Board of Directors of the Hasbrouck Heights  Chamber of Commerce. Founded and made arrangements for the First  Sidewalk Sale which she worked on many years until George Eggers  became Chairman; She also chaired the Chamber Holiday Parade  for many years along with the Townwide Treasure Hunt.

 Served in Girl Scouts eight years and in B.C.  Scout Headquarter for three years. Also served on Mayor s  Celebrations Committee six years, Zoning Board member six years  and Adult Advisory Board for H.H. High School seven years, Charter  member of the Friends of the Library, and served seven years  on both the Library Board and Planning Board.

 Worked on continuing basis with the senior citizens  of the community and for 18 years organized a Christmas Party  for them. Led the movement to build the first Senior Citizens  Housing Unit in Hasbrouck Heights, completely with Grant dollars.

 Member of the Southwest Community Development  Grants Committee, serving as its Chairman for six years; served  as Chairman of the County-wide Community Development Committee  three years. Continues as a voting member (serving on SWCDGC  for almost 30 years.)

 Appointed as Commissioner at the Bergen County  Utilities Authority in 1989. Completed term in December, 1991.

 Member, Cancer Research Institute, State of New  Jersey, 8 years.

 Former Member, Advisory Board for Adult Continuing  Education at Felician College.

Elected Positions

 Elected County Committeewoman eight times and  serves as Municipal Chairman.

 Elected to the Council in 1984 (first woman in  the 90-year history of the town). Served as Finance Commissioner,  Recreation Commissioner and Deputy Police Commissioner and Police  Commissioner and served on the Police and Fire Committees. Charter  member
of the Anti-Drug Council. Was Chairman of the Drug Alliance  Committee.

 Chosen and unanimously endorsed to run for mayor  in 1987, having completed full term on council, when Mayor William  Imken (19 years in that position) chose not to run. Was elected  and took office Jan. 1, 1988. Was re-elected mayor in 1991 for  another four-year term.

 Served on the Executive Committee of the Bergen  County Mayors Association. Member, Bergen County Republican  Mayors Association, Member Bergen County League of Municipalities,  Member, NJ Conference of Mayors.

 Served 10 years as a member of the Board of Directors  of the Lodi Boys & Girls Club, and 5 years as a Women's  Fund of New Jersey Member Bergen

 Serves as the Strategy Committee Chair of the  Women Advocating for Good Government that was formed in 2005.  She also serves on the Board of the Women s Political  Caucus. Both are Statewide Bi Partisan Women s Organizations.  Serves as Legislative Chair of TANAAC.

Community Awards and Associations

She is the recipient of many community service awards from  such Hasbrouck Heights organizations as: Lions Club, Knights  of Columbus, The Kiwanis Club, Hasbrouck Heights Men s  Assn., Girl Scouts, Boy Scouts, Veterans of Foreign Wars Post  4591 (local, District and State) which includes the VFW Auxiliary,  The Elks, and the PBA She was named Citizen of the Year by the  H.H. Men s Association. The Hasbrouck Heights Elks named  her Woman of the Year. She was among the First Honorees of Immaculate  Conception High School awards as A Woman of Distinction.

She served as the Co-chair of the 1995--1997 New Jersey Silent  Witness March. She served as the Honorary Chair of the New Jersey  Federation of Women s Clubs Domestic Violence Project,  Supreme Court Working Group of Domestic Violence, and the Governor s  Child Abuse Task Force.

She is a member of the Commission on "Cancer Research,  Breast Cancer Research Advisory Group,