George Ververides Outstanding Community Leadership Award
In honor of its 35th Anniversary, KMM established the George Ververides Community Leadership Award. The award honors the legacy of George Ververides, Middlesex County Director of Planning from 1968-2020 and KMM founding member. As director of planning for 52 years, Ververides, recently retired, laid the foundation and oversaw the development of transportation, bicycle, and pedestrian safety infrastructure projects that impact the people of Middlesex County today and tomorrow.
This award is given to an individual or organization in recognition of their commitment to the community and inspired leadership in transportation. This recipient should embody KMM’s mission and George’s lifelong dedication to improving transportation through acts that enhance safety, provide education, and improve mobility. The award is presented at KMM’s Annual Meeting which is held in May.
2024 Award Recipient
Diana Starace is the recipient of the 2024 George Ververides Outstanding Community Leadership Award. As the Safe Kids Middlesex County and Injury Prevention Coordinator for Robert Wood Johnson Hospital, Diana Starace has cultivated a network of over 120 partners, offering safety education to Middlesex County residents, focusing on high-risk, underserved, and vulnerable groups. She has played a vital role in KMM’s programs, supporting bike rodeos, active adult safety, Walk and Bike to School events, Safety Town, and advocating for safer streets in her community through her involvement with the Dunellen Mayor’s Traffic and Pedestrian Safety Task Force.
Diana was presented with the award during the July Healthier Middlesex membership meeting, where representatives from Saint Peters Healthcare Center, Wellspring, Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital, Aetna, Mobile Family Success Center, and numerous other Middlesex County partners were in attendance.
2023 Award Recipient
Metuchen Borough Council President Jason Delia is the first recipient of the George Ververides Outstanding Community Leadership Award. Since his election in 2019, Delia has focused on improving mobility and safety in his community. Working with Middlesex County, Delia reduced the speed limits on County roadways frequently used by pedestrians. He championed the NJ Safe Passing Law in 2021 and recently established a bike lane along Grove & Eggert Ave in Metuchen which is expected to be implemented in the Fall 2023.
“Given the incredible impact Mr. Ververides has had on Middlesex County, I am truly humbled to receive this award. Now, I feel an even greater responsibility to uphold the values and principles of community service that Mr. Ververides embodied. I extend my sincere gratitude to Keep Middlesex Moving for this honor. On behalf of Metuchen, I am grateful for KMM’s support and partnership,” said Delia.