(PDF) (DOC) (JPG)February 9, 2024

The Honorable Paul A. Sarlo, Brian & Diane ‘85 Flynn, and Nicole Cicalo DeCaro will be honored at the April 5 gala

Mahwah, NJ- The Ramapo College Foundation will honor four individuals for their professional achievement, commitment and community service at its Annual Distinguished Citizens Gala on Friday, April 5, at the Rockleigh Country Club in Rockleigh, N.J.

The Honorable Paul A. Sarlo

Paul A. Sarlo is the Deputy Majority Leader of the New Jersey Senate. He has served as Chairperson of the Budget and Appropriations Committee since 2010, making him the Committee’s longest serving chairperson in state history. He is a member of the Judiciary Committee and Chairperson of the Joint Budget Oversight Committee, and former Chairperson of the Judiciary Committee and the Labor Committee.

Senator Sarlo has been the prime sponsor of more than 300 bills which have been signed into law, and has played a leading role on legislation to promote job creation and economic development. He has been the prime sponsor of bi-partisan legislation which reformed the state’s school funding formula, lowered income taxes for the middle class, working poor and senior citizens, strengthened the fiscal health of the state pension fund, and provided dedicated funding for the Transportation Trust Fund to finance vital infrastructure projects throughout the state. He has also sponsored bills which reformed New Jersey’s worker’s compensation system, criminalized the illegal trafficking and distribution of prescription drugs, required schools to adopt bullying prevention policies and upgraded penalties for identity theft.

Senator Sarlo’s career in public service spans nearly three decades. He has served as Mayor of the Borough of Wood-Ridge since 2000 and served on its Borough Council from 1995-2000. In 2001, he was elected to the New Jersey General Assembly, a position he held until May 2003 when he was sworn in to the New Jersey Senate to fill an unexpired term. He was elected to a full term in the New Jersey Senate in November 2003 and was re-elected in 2007, 2011, 2013, 2017, 2021 and 2023. Mr. Sarlo represents the 36th legislative district, which includes 15 municipalities in Bergen and Passaic Counties.

A licensed professional engineer and licensed professional planner, Senator Sarlo holds bachelor’s and master’s degrees in civil engineering from the New Jersey Institute of Technology, where he was a Division III All-American baseball player. He is the Chief Operating Officer of Joseph M. Sanzari Construction Inc., where he has been employed since 1998.

Brian and Diane Flynn ‘85

Brian Flynn is a partner at PKF O’Connor Davies, LLP, the leading North American firm in the PKF International network of independent accounting and advisory firms. He is a member of the executive committee and managing partner for the firm’s New Jersey market.

Brian has more than 30 years of audit experience with closely-held corporations, educational institutions and not-for-profit organizations. He earned a bachelor’s degree in accounting from Monmouth University. He serves on the board of Lakeland Bank and is an active participant in numerous community and professional groups. Brian often serves as a conference leader and speaker at industry events and sits on the boards of several local not-for-profit organizations.

Diane Flynn is a Ramapo College alumna, having earned a bachelor’s degree in information systems in 1985. She has worked in human resources/employee benefits and has been an editor at Paulist Press.

The Flynns have been longtime donors to Ramapo College, having made a major gift to the capital campaign to build the Berrie Center for Performing and Visual Arts. The couple has also supported the Distinguished Citizens Gala and Golf Outing. O’Connor Davies performs the annual audit of the Ramapo College Foundation. Over the years, Brian has been instrumental in securing significant corporate support from PKF O’Connor Davies for Ramapo College events and projects. The Flynns live in Wyckoff.

Nicole Cicalo DeCaro

Nicole is head coach of the Bergen Barracudas swim team, a parent-run, non-profit organization founded in 1980 that practices on the Ramapo College campus and competes at venues across northern New Jersey. She has over 22 years of coaching experience. Nicole is a lifetime member of the American Swimming Coaches Association and is ASCA Level 3 certified. She holds a master’s in childhood special education from Fordham University and two master’s degrees from Ohio University: a master’s of science in recreation and sports management; and a master’s in business administration. Nicole serves on the Friends of Ramapo board as the nominating chair; she has also served as chair and vice chair of the board. With Nicole’s assistance, the Bergen Barracudas have supported the Friends of Ramapo, Summer Concerts, Annual Fund and the Distinguished Citizens Gala. Nicole’s husband, Lawrence, is a construction project manager. The couple lives in Blauvelt, NY.

Sponsorship and participation information can be found at ramapo.edu/dcg or by contacting Liz Kloak at lkloak@ramapo.edu or 201-684-6834.

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About Ramapo College

Ramapo College of New Jersey is the state’s premier public liberal arts college and is committed to academic excellence through interdisciplinary and experiential learning, and international and intercultural understanding. The comprehensive college is situated among the beautiful Ramapo Mountains, is within commuting distance to New York City, was named one of the 50 Most Beautiful College Campuses in America by CondeNast Traveler, and boasts the best on-campus housing in New Jersey per Niche.com. Established in 1969, Ramapo College offers bachelor’s degrees in the arts, business, data science, humanities, social sciences and the sciences, as well as in professional studies, which include business, education, nursing and social work. In addition, the College offers courses leading to teacher certification at the elementary and secondary levels, and offers graduate programs leading to master’s degrees in Accounting, Applied Mathematics, Business Administration, Contemporary Instructional Design, Computer Science, Creative Music Technology, Data Science, Educational Leadership, Nursing, Social Work and Special Education, as well as a Doctor of Nursing Practice.

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