UCNJ Union College of Union County, NJ welcomed three new members to its Boards this fall: Andrew Wallen of Berkeley Heights, Daryl Palmieri of Scotch Plains, and Oscar Salas of Cranford. The new members were sworn in during a joint meeting of the College’s Board of Trustees and Board of Governors in September. Mr. Wallen will serve on the Board of Trustees as an appointee of the Union County Board of County Commissioners, while Mr. Palmieri and Mr. Salas will serve on the Board of Governors.
Andrew Wallen is a union carpenter and U.S. Marine Corps veteran with extensive experience in commercial and industrial construction. A journeyman carpenter with the Eastern Atlantic States Regional Council of Carpenters, Mr. Wallen has worked on projects involving bridges, hospitals, airports, schools, and office complexes. During his military service, he served as a sergeant in the U.S. Marine Corps, where he held leadership roles overseeing personnel, training, and operations.
Daryl Palmieri returns to UCNJ’s Board of Governors after previously serving on the Board of Trustees as Interim Executive County Superintendent for Union County. He has nearly 25 years of experience in public education and currently serves as Chief of Operations and Assistant Superintendent for Human Resources at Elizabeth Public Schools. In his role overseeing human resources, he manages the district’s talent, labor relations, and personnel policies. He also oversees operations, including the logistics and physical safety of learning environments. Mr. Palmieri is a graduate of Manhattan College and Kean University. He is currently studying in a doctoral program at Grand Canyon University.
Oscar Salas is a 2011 UCNJ alumnus and a finance professional with more than 10 years of experience in financial planning and analysis. He currently serves as a Senior Manager and Finance Business Partner at Moody’s, where he works with senior leadership on financial planning, forecasting, strategic initiatives, and business performance. Previously, Mr. Salas served as a Vice President at BNY Mellon, where he managed a $1.5 billion business unit. He earned a bachelor’s degree in mathematics with concentrations in finance and statistics and an MBA in finance, both from Montclair State University.
“We are pleased to welcome Andrew, Daryl, and Oscar to UCNJ’s Boards,” said UCNJ Board of Trustees Chairman Rafael J. Betancourt, Esq. “Each brings a unique combination of professional experience, leadership, and commitment to our community. Their expertise in education, finance, workforce development, and public service will provide valuable perspectives as we continue to advance UCNJ’s mission and support student success.”
UCNJ is a public comprehensive community college that provides quality, affordable, accessible educational programs to the greater Union County region. It is the first of New Jersey’s 18 two-year colleges, serving both career-minded and transfer-oriented students since 1933. The College offers a wide variety of academic programs and extracurricular activities. UCNJ provides many experiential learning opportunities such as access to the Bloomberg Business Center, Innovation Center, and Student Research Lab Additionally, students at UCNJ attend one of the top community colleges in the country as designated by the Aspen Institute College Excellence Program. To learn more about UCNJ, visit www.ucc.edu.
