Three new members of Brookdale’s Board of Trustees were sworn in on Thursday, May 17, and pledged to "… faithfully discharge the duties of the office of Trustee of Brookdale Community College according to the best of [their] ability.”
David Flaherty of Howell and Charles A. Karcher of Colts Neck were appointed by the Monmouth County Board of Chosen Freeholders in March, both for four-year terms.
Timothy Hart of Manasquan is the 2012-2013 Graduate Trustee and was elected by his peers to serve for a one-year term.
Flaherty, a 45 year resident of Howell Township, is a former Committeeman and Deputy Mayor of the Township. He is presently assigned to the Services Bureau as Sergeant and Accreditation Manager of the Howell Township Police Department. He is a former member of the Howell Township Board of Education, the Planning Board, Shade Tree Liaison, Recreation Liaison, Mayors Advisory and Economic Development Committee. He also a 2010 Lifetime Achievement recipient of the Howell Township Chamber of Commerce where he has been a member of the Board of Directors.
Flaherty chose to serve on the Board to give back to the County. “Monmouth County as a community has been my good fortune, having been raised here and raising a family here has been a remarkable experience. I am of the belief that you should participate in your community at all levels. When the opportunity at Brookdale presented itself, I saw it as a way to give back a little to the community that has given so much to me.”
Karcher, when asked why he applied to serve on the Brookdale Board, replied, “I am a strong proponent of higher education and will bring the kind of knowledge, skill and experience to the Board that I believe will enhance the ability of Brookdale to meet the needs of tens of thousands of students. Were it not for Brookdale, so many students would be unable to attend college. I want to help maintain Brookdale as the outstanding community resource that it is, and believe serving on the Board of Trustees is a perfect way to do that.”
Karcher brings to Brookdale his professional executive experience with the Port Authority of NY & NJ, his background as an attorney, and his law firm management skills. His support for higher education directly relates to his personal career path: Karcher started his Port Authority career climb right after high school at the lowest job level, that of night watchman. He attended college at night and earned a Bachelor’s within ten years. He climbed the ranks into the highest middle-management position in his division. Twenty years later, he began studying law at night and in four years had earned a J.D. degree from New York Law School. Karcher has taught at New York University, and is also a Trustee of the Colts Neck Education Foundation.
Hart started his college education at Rutgers University School of Engineering, studying computer and electrical engineering. After a year, he switched to Brookdale and changed his major to graphic design, a field he found personally more rewarding. Hart’s Brookdale experience includes serving as president of the Student Life Board. Because he transferred to Brookdale, Hart was able to earn his Associate’s degree without incurring student loans. Hart will, in addition to his Board duties, spend the coming year researching and traveling to visit four year schools to find the right match for his career interests
New trustees, from left: David Flaherty, Tim Hart, Charles Karcher.
Additional information on any of the Brookdale trustees may be found at www.brookdalecc.edu/pages/584.asp
