Former Hudson County Prosecutor and former Superior Court Judge Edward DeFazio has joined the Hudson County Community College Board of Trustees, having been sworn in at the board’s meeting Feb. 21.
“On behalf of the entire HCCC community, we are very happy to welcome Edward DeFazio to the college’s board of trustees,” HCCC President Christopher Reber said. “Judge DeFazio has a long and outstanding record of public service and leadership in Hudson County and will be a great asset to the HCCC family.”
A Jersey City native, DeFazio is a lifelong Hudson resident who has more than 40 years’ experience in public service. He received his bachelor’s degree from Fordham University and his JD from Seton Hall University Law School.
DeFazio began his career as Assistant Hudson County Prosecutor and rose through the ranks to become Homicide Unit Chief. He then served as Chief Judge of the Jersey City Municipal Court before returning to the Hudson County Prosecutor’s Office as First Assistant Prosecutor. A decade later, he was appointed New Jersey Superior Court Judge.
DeFazio then left the bench in 2002 to serve as Hudson County Prosecutor for two, five-year terms.
In 2012, DeFazio was appointed to the Superior Court bench, where he served for seven years before entering private practice at the law firm of Bruno and Ferraro. He is licensed to practice law in New Jersey, New York and before the United States Supreme Court.
DeFazio’s professional affiliations include the New Jersey State Bar Association; member, past officer and trustee of the Hudson County Bar Association; member and past president of the North Hudson Lawyer’s Club; member of the New Jersey Death Penalty Study Commission; and state director to the National District Attorney’s Association. He was named the 2006 “Lawyer of the Year” by the New Jersey Commission on Professionalism in the Law.
“We look forward to working with Judge DeFazio and utilizing his extraordinary knowledge of Hudson County and the law as we continue to provide our students – and our entire community – with the very best educational opportunities,” HCCC Board of Trustees Chairman William J. Netchert said.
The board is the governing body of Hudson County Community College and is responsible for leading, advocating and supporting the college’s mission, ensuring fiduciary responsibility, establishing overarching goals and policies and hiring, supporting and evaluating the president.
There are eight board members appointed by the Hudson County Board of Commissioners and two appointed by Gov. Philip D. Murphy.
The HCCC Board of Trustees is comprised of eight individuals appointed by the Hudson County Board of County Commissioners and at least two individuals appointed by the Governor. Trustees maintain their trustee status until they are reappointed or replaced by the appointing authorities.
“I am honored to have been chosen as a Hudson County Community College trustee,” DeFazio said. “The college is a treasure, an incredible resource for our community and together with my fellow board members, Dr. Reber and the entire HCCC team, we will continue accomplishing great things here.”
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Kevin A. Canessa Jr. is the editor of and broadcaster at The Observer, an organization he has served since 2006. He is responsible for the editorial content of the newspaper and website, the production of the e-Newspaper, writing several stories per week (including the weekly editorial), conducting live broadcasts on social media channels such as YouTube, Facebook, and X, including a weekly recap of the news — and much more behind the scenes. Between 2006 and 2008, he introduced the newspaper to its first-ever blog — which included podcasts, audio and video. Originally from Jersey City, Kevin lived in Kearny until 2004, lived in Port St. Lucie. Florida, for four years until February 2016 and in March of that year, he moved back to Kearny to return to The Observer full time. Click Here to send Kevin an email.