Lions Eye Research Foundation New Jersey - A Non-profit organization
To provide financial assistance, in eye research and related fields and to stimulate a continuing program of research to prevent the occurrence of eye diseases and defects.
2020-2021 Lions Eye Research Foundation Trustees Roster
District N (New)
District N covers the Northern portion of New Jeresy and includes member clubs Morris, Passaic, Essex, Bergen, and more from this region.
Governor Nalit Patel
DG Nalit Patel Bio
Louis C. Lambe, ZC (N)
Trustee Louis C. Lambe (16N)
Louis Lambewas appointed to LERF in December of 2015.
He holds a BS in Civil Engineering from NJIT and is an Engineer for the
Passaic Valley Sewerage Commission where he has been employed since
September of 1988.
In 1990, he volunteered to serve as a reservist in the United States Marine
Corps and was honorably discharged in 1993. For his community, he represents
Cranford as a Commissioner on the Rahway Valley Sewerage Authority
and is a member of the Cranford Flood Advisory Committee.
A proponent of clean water initiatives, Lou currently serves as the
Co-Chair of the New Jersey Water Environment Association's Collection System Committee
and also serves on its Asset Management, Technology Transfer, and Program Committees.
He is an instructor of the State Required Advanced Collection Systems Licensing Class
offered at the Hudson County School of Technology.
Lou has been around Lionism since the 1980's attending functions and fundraising with his
grandfather-in-law, a Charter Member, and his father in-law. Lou was sponsored for
membership by his mother-in-law in 2012 and has been
Club President since June of 2014 as well as being a Zone Chair since June of 2015.
He was honored by his club as the 2016 Lion of the Year and received the
Bob Moore Pioneer Award from then Governor of 16N Jack Romano.
Lou, his wife Beth, and their daughter Gabrielle are all Lions. Their son Patrick is still in
school but helps the club and is a Lion at heart.
Paula Tarantino-Maione, PDG
Bio N/A
Charles Landesman, PDG
Bio N/A
Ralph DeVito, PCC
Bio N/A
Dennis Brubaker,PDG (VP)
Dennis Brubaker was appointed as a LERF Trustee in 2010
Now retired, Dennis was formally employed in the container shipping industry
and later for a luxury watch company. He is a college graduate and a Vietnam Veteran.
As a Lion since 1992, he is a Past President of the Wood-Ridge Lions Club
and continues as its longtime Secretary. As a Lion, he has served as a
District Governor (2009-2010), Cabinet Secretary (2006-2009) and later served on
Committees for his District (Global Membership Team Coordinator) and for the
State Lions Multiple District 16 (International and State Conventions).
He is a Trustee on his District Charitable Foundation and is on the Board of
Directors for Eversight NJ (formally the Lions Eye Bank of New Jersey).
He is also a Past President of the New Jersey Past District Governors Association.
He is a Melvin Jones Fellow Progressive. He continues to be active in his community
serving on its Recreation Commission for over 30 years.
Dr. Edward Meyer, PDG
Bio N/A
District J (Jersey)
District J covers the Central portion of New Jeresy and included
member clubs from Middlesex, Mercer, Union counties in this region.
Governor Kevin Kosobucki
DG Kevin Kosobucki Bio
Frank Magnolia, PDG (T)
Frank Magnolia, PDG, Treasurer
Lion Club President;
Club Sect.16J Resolution Committee member;
Pres. N.J. Charitable Foundation;
Treasurer Lions Eye Research Foundation;
Past Cabinet Sect. 2000;
Past District Governor Dist.16-E 2001;
Past President Lions Eye Bank now Eversight 1995;
Lion member 53 years.
National Sales Mgr., Retired 24 yrs. 1993
Earl Groendyke, PDG
Earl has served as the LERF-NJ President since his apporintment in 2014.
Misc Information . . . .
End
Joyce Kernusz, PSRC
Bio N/A
Enrique J. Maseda
Bio N/A
End
James F. Dougherty, PDG
PDG JIM DOUGHERTY
I'm a retiree from the NJ Commission for the Blind & Visually Impaired where
I worked for twenty seven plus years. I held positions ranging from Rehabilitation
Teacher, Vocational Counselor to Assistant Manager at the Agency's Joseph Kohn Training
Center (JKTC).
As a visually impaired person, I was always involved with many organizations serving
both the blind/visually impaired and hearing impaired in various capacities ranging
from board member, committee chair to president for the New Jersey Association for
Education and Rehabilitation of the Blind & Visually Impaired (NJAER), the Deaf/Blind
League of New Jersey (DBLNJ), and the Music Association for the Visually Impaired
Students of New Jersey (MAVIS). I also served as a board member and committee
chair for the New Jersey Council of the Blind, and the Central Jersey Chapter/National
Federation of the Blind, and a member of the Middlesex County Association of
the Blind (MCAB), Middlesex County Area Transit (MCAT), and the State Rehabilitation
Council (SRC) for the New Jersey Commission for the Blind & Visually Impaired.
As a Lion for the past twenty five years, I have served in many capacities in my
Club, in my District and on the state level. In the Metuchen Lions Club, I served
as a board member, a committee chair, lion tamer, tail twister, secretary, and
president for several terms.
In District 16D/J, I served as Zone and Region Chairs, as a trustee,
committee member, and president for the now District 16J Charitable Foundation,
and as the Vice District Governor, and District Governor. On the state level,
I served on the State Project Review Committee, the State Convention Committee,
Chaired the International Convention Committee, and an advisory board member
for the New Jersey Camp for Blind Children (Camp Marcella), and as a Trustee for
the Lions Eye Research Foundation (LERF).
Bob Virgadamo PCC (S)
Past Council Chair Bob Virgadamo,
Secretary, Lion Eye Research Foundation A former�Property & Asset Management Executive, and a Lion for more than 20 Years,�Lion Bob has been a�LERF Trustee since 2006.�In addition to his current, or past, Club and District duties, Lion Bob spent 5 years as the�LCIF Major Catastrophe Grant Administrator�and Chairman�of the�MD-16 Hurricane Sandy Disaster Relief Committee�with responsibility for obtaining, and the review and oversight, of possible projects throughout the State, and the distribution, disbursement and accounting of over $453,000 of "designated" LCIF donations�for and�towards approved projects.�He has also served as an�LCIF District Coordinator for 15 years, three as LCIF Coordinator for Multiple District 16. He has also served as a Trustee for his District Charitable Foundation since 2002. Additionally, Lion Bob is a 27th Progressive Melvin Jones Fellow.
Rey Fonseca
Fonseca Bio
District L (Lions)
District L covers the Shore and Souther portion of New Jeresy and
includes member clubs from Ocean, Burlington, Gloucester, Monmouth Counties and more
member clubs from this region.
Governor Alfred Mottola
DG Alfred Mottola Bio
Takeo Ishimasa, PDG
Ishimasa Bio
Rosemarie Townend, PDG (L)
In 2012, PDG Rosemarie Townend transferred to the Neptune Township Lions
Club where she served as Secretary for five years, By-Laws Committee
Chair for two years, and the "Night For Sight" Annual Dinner-Dance Fundraiser
Committee Member for five years.
On a District level, PDG Rosemarie Townend served as District 16-B
District Governor for International President Sid Scruggs in 2010-2011,
Zone Chair in 2008-2009, LCIF District Coordinator from 2009-2012, Environmental
Committee Chair in 2010-2011, Certified Guiding Lion from 2009-2011, District Newsletter
Editor from 2006-2011, USA/Canada Lions Leadership Forum District Chair in
2007-2008, LEEDS Trustee from 2006-Present, and LERF Trustee from 2013-Present.
As a District Global Leadership Team (GLT) Coordinator, PDG Rosemarie
Townend held training seminars for incoming Lions Club Officers from 2011-
2014, and then was appointed to the position of GLT MD-16 Coordinator,
directing our three District GLT Coordinators from 2016-Present.
PDG Rosemarie Townend is a graduate of several Lions Clubs' Institutes: Senior/Advanced Leadership Institute 2006, Faculty Development Institute 2015,
and the Faculty Development Excellence Series Institute 2016 where she was
trained in creating Webinars.
PDG Rosemarie Townend has been a Lion for 17 years, attended five
International Lions Clubs Conventions, four USA/Canada Lions Leadership
Forums, and three Lions Days at the UN.
PDG Rosemarie Townend has received
four District Governors' Appreciation Awards, and was honored with a Melvin
Jones Fellowship in 2011.
Clarence Brown, PDG
Bio
Lions member of the Neptune Township Lions Club.
I am a thirty-year veteran with the U.S. Army, retired
also, Department of Defense Analyst, Retired.
My experience as a Lion:
Two years as Chartered President of the Neptune Lions Club
Member of Neptune Township Lions Club Board of Directors
District Cabinet Secretary
Sight Chair
Zone Chair
Advisor to the N.J. Blind Citizen Association in Leonardo, NJ
Treasurer of the District 16L Charitable Foundation
Member of District 16L Finance and Operating Committee
2nd Vice District Governor
1st Vice District Governor
District Governor Elect
William Sauser, PDG
Sauser Bio
Albert Olizi, PCC
Olizi Bio
Dayl Baile, PDG
Baile Bio
Melvyn Bray, PID (ED)
Executive Director Melvyn Bray (PID)
Mel has been a Trustee on the LERF Board since 1997 and was President for 13 years.
He now serves as the Executive Director. He co-founded the
Alphonse Cinotti, MD / Lions Eye Research Foundation of NJ Inc. Chair
at the Institute of Visual Sciences at Rutgers, New Jersey Medical School.
Mel has been a Lion for 45+ years now. He joined the Toms River Lions Club in 1972
and has held numerous position in his Toms River Lions Club serving as
President, Secretary, and Treasurer several times.
He has served on the Finance Committee of District 16B and 16L New Jersey Lion
also having serving as Cabinet Secretary and Treasurer, Vice District Governor and District Governor.
Mel has also served as Council Chairperson and State Advisor.
Lion Mel has also served on Lions Clubs International's Board of Directors
on the Finance and Operations Committee and Chaired the Audit Committee.
Mel is a retired Vice President & Regional Manager for a large regional bank and
dealt with many operations during his career. He forged ahead with the concept that
computers were indeed a good thing and would make the daily operations of the organization
more productive. Mel was the Executive Director of the New Jersey State Safe Deposit Assn.
and an AIB Adjunct Professor at Ocean County College.
Mel participated in the creation of the Sight & Handicapped Foundation of Ocean County, Inc.
He has been the Treasurer since its inception in 1977.
Min Elder
Elder Bio
Honorary Members
Robert Frank, PDG (P)
Bob Frank Bio
1966 Graduated High School. Attended Valparaiso University
where I met Christie and we were married in 1969.
1969-present employed by A Frank Real Estate and Bluefield Developers, Inc. 1972 Received Real Estate Brokers License.
1984 Became President of Bluefield Dvelopers, Inc.
1995, Joined Huntington Park Lions.
1998-present, Took charge of HP Lions White Cane fund raiser.
1999, Received the "Lion of the Year" award from HP Lions.
2000, Received Bergen County "Volunteer of the Year Award"
from Mayor of Huntington Park.
2000-2001, President HP Lions.
2000-present, Board of Directors HP Lions
2001, Cabinet Treasurer District 16A.
2002-2004, Zone Chairman District 16A.
2003-present, District 16A/N IT Chair, responsible for creating & maintaining the 16A/N website.
2004-2005, Region Chair District 16A.
2004-present, Member Charitable Foundation District 16A.
2005-2007, Cabinet Treasurer 16A.
2005-2010, Member Advisory Board NJ Camp for Blind Children.
2006, Awarded Melvin Jones Fellowship from HP Lions.
2006-present, District 16A/N Directory Editor.
2007, Received International President's Leadership Award.
2008-2009, District Governor, 16A.
2009-present,Board Member NJ Lions Eyeglass Recycling Center.
2010 Received District 16A Mentor Award from District 16A.
2010, Received District 16A Pioneer Award from District 16A.
2010-present, Board of Trustees NJ Camp for Blind Children.
2010-2015, IT and Webmaster for NJ Camp for Blind Children.
2010-present, Trustee, Lions Eye Research Foundation.
2011 MD16 State Convention Chairman.
2013-present, President of Lions Eye Research Foundation.
2014-2016 President North Jersey Lions Charitable Foundation.
2015 Proud Sponsor of Heather = 4th generation Frank to join HP Lions.
2017 Became Borough of Harington Park Historian.
Stanley Grossman, PID (HM)
Stanley earned his BSA Eagle Scout rank in 1945. He is a Life Member in the
National Eagle Scout Association and has been involved in Scouting for 75 years.
He was recognized by the Boys Scouts in 1953 receiving a Silver Beaver Award at age 23.
Stan lead contingents to many BSA Jamborees. He also served as the Director of Rock Hill
Scout Camp for three years in Pennsylvania.
Stan is a retired Director of Vocational Education at the Union County Regional High
School which encompassed four high schools and students from 6 communities.
Stanley is also a 50 year member of Lions a Clubs International serving in the
Springfield Lions Club and on the Board of Directors of Lions Clubs International from
1999-2001 representing the Lions of the World. Stanley is a trustee of the Senior
Citizen Housing of Springfield Board and a member of Phi Delta Kappa? Stanley is a
past director and past president of the New Jersey Industrial Arts Education Association
and past president of the New Jersey Vocational and Arts Association.
He has received many awards and recognitions, e.g., Honorary Member after 20 years
SERVING on the LERF Board, a Progressive Melvin Jones Fellow, an Ambassador of Good
Will from Lions Clubs International, the Harold Nutter Award from New Jersey Lions
Multiple District 16. He served on the District-E Eye Ear Foundation for over 20 years
and on the Eversight, NJ Board of Directors for over 25 years.
He currently sits on the Board of Trustees of the Lions Eye Research Foundation of
New Jersey, Inc., Funds for the New Jersey Blind and is very active in his Synagogue.
He also currently serves on committees at the Atria Assisted Living community.
Joan Lytkowski (HM)
N/A
Members in Memoriam
PCC James Hynes, Executive Director PCC Stephen E. Naples, Sr, President PCC Victor Graziano, President PDG Eugene Renkar, Finance Chair PDG Joseph Benkert PDG Nicholas Rossi PDG Andrew Lytkowski Lion Dorothy Wilson, Secretary
LEGEND
ID
PID
DG
PDG
CC
PCC
International Director
Past International Director
District Governor
Past Disctrict Governor
Council Chair
Past Council Chair
SRC
PSRC
ZC
PZC
HM
IM
Senior Region Chair
Past Senior Region Chair
Zone Chair
Past Zone Chair
Honorary Member
In Memoriam
