NJCCC President Dr. Aaron Fichtner Wins NJBIA Leonard C. Johnson Award 

November 18, 2021, Trenton, New Jersey – Dr. Aaron Fichtner, President of the New Jersey Council of County Colleges (NJCCC), will receive a 2021 Leonard C. Johnson Award from New Jersey Business and Industry Association (NJBIA) for his dedicated service as an advocate for New Jersey employers and his longtime leadership in higher education, labor, and workforce development. The award also acknowledges Dr. Fichtner’s efforts to improve New Jersey’s economic vitality, encourage job growth, streamline government, and build a stronger workforce.

Dr. Fichtner, the former Commissioner of the New Jersey Department of Labor and Workforce Development, is a recognized thought leader in workforce development and higher education.

“NJBIA’s prestigious Leonard C. Johnson Award is given to leaders who have distinguished himself or herself in improving New Jersey’s business climate for employers and improving job growth. Aaron Fichtner was selected as one of our honorees this year because he is a true champion of New Jersey’s business community. We applaud his tireless efforts and unwavering commitment to help upskill the workforce to meet the growing demands of businesses,” said NJBIA President and CEO Michele Siekerka, Esq.

“I am honored to receive this award. It is my goal to help align education to build an innovative workforce which will make New Jersey’s business climate as competitive as possible. That means ensuring the workforce is stronger than ever, especially now as we emerge from the COVID-19 pandemic and work to rebuild New Jersey’s economy,” said Dr. Fichtner.

The Leonard C. Johnson Award  will be presented to Dr. Fichtner at NJBIA’s Public Policy Forum on November 30th starting at 8 am at the Delta Hotels Woodbridge in Iselin, New Jersey. The theme of this year’s event, “The Road to Recovery: Business Leading the Way,” will provide a look back on the year that was and ahead to the year to come. This annual event draws business and political insiders together each year to discuss the most pressing policy issues facing our state. This year’s Public Policy Forum will focus on how businesses and the workforce can emerge stronger than ever and ensure that the New Jersey economy makes a swift recovery from the pandemic.

About the New Jersey Council of County Colleges  

The New Jersey Council of County Colleges (NJCCC) was created in 1989 to support and promote New Jersey’s 18 Community Colleges that now enroll more than 300,000 people each year in credit, non-credit, and workforce development courses at more than 70 campuses throughout the state. More than 200,000 students – more than half of all undergraduate students in public colleges and universities in the state – are enrolled at New Jersey’s Community Colleges. The Community Colleges also enroll nearly 100,000 students in non-credit programs and partner with thousands of businesses to meet their training and workforce needs.

​ The primary goal of New Jersey’s 18 Community Colleges is to meet the ever-changing educational needs of our great state’s residents. Today, through more than 1,700 degree and certificate programs, as well as non-credit courses and customized workforce training programs, New Jersey Community Colleges are helping more students than ever. No matter if they are seeking to transfer into a four-year college or university, complete a program and move directly into a career of choice, use professional development opportunities to advance within a field or move into another one, pursue a personal interest via the classroom or enjoy public art, music, theater, lecture, cultural, and sports offerings, New Jersey’s Community Colleges are here to serve.

To learn more about NJCCC and New Jersey’s Community Colleges, go to njccc.org. Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, LinkedIn, and YouTube to learn more about our latest programs and initiatives.