Brendan W. Gill
| Brendan W. Gill | |
|---|---|
| Essex County Freeholder | |
|
Assumed office January 1, 2012 | |
| Personal details | |
| Born | November 5, 1974 |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Spouse(s) | Alixon Gill |
| Children | 2 |
| Alma mater | Seton Hall University |
Brendan W. Gill (born November 5, 1974) is an American politician currently serving as Freeholder At-Large in Essex County, New Jersey. A member of the Democratic Party, Gill was first elected District 5 Freeholder in 2011, while serving as State Director for Senator Frank R. Lautenberg. He was elected At-Large in 2014.
Gill has worked at the federal, state and county of government throughout his career. He served as campaign manager for both current Senators for New Jersey, Bob Menendez and Cory Booker.
He is the founder and president of the BGill Group, LLC.
Early Life and Education
Gill was born in Belleville, New Jersey in 1974 to Daniel Gill, a teacher, and Michelle Gill, a homemaker. He was raised in Montclair, New Jersey, graduating from Montclair High School in 1992, attended Seton Hall University on a scholarship, where he graduated in 1996 with a Bachelor's in Political Science.
Career
Fresh out of college, Gill worked as a Field Organizer on Congressman Bill Pascrell's first congressional campaign in 1996, where Pascrell defeated Republican incumbent Bill Martini 51%-48%, a margin of 6,249 votes.[1] Gill worked in Pascrell's district office for the next four years, eventually managing Pascrell's 2000 campaign. Gill went on to serve as Chief of staff for Assemblymen Peter C. Egler and Willis Edwards before becoming District Director for Congressman Steven R. Rothman in 2002. Having held high level staff positions on campaigns and in communications, Gill was appointed State Director to Senator Frank R. Lautenberg in 2007. The next year, he managed Sen. Lautenberg’s fifth reelection campaign. As State Director, he oversaw all statewide operations for the senate office, including legislation and constituent services.[2]
In 2011, despite having never run for public office before, Gill won the 2011 Essex County District 5 Freeholder general election with 62.33% of the vote.[3]
Gill currently serves on the New Jersey Association of County's Board of Directors.[4]
Policies
In 2012, Gill sponsored legislation calling for the Complete Streets model to be applied to the entire county. This was the first county-wide legislation for complete streets. The complete street model improves safety for pedestrians, bicyclists, and other individuals who are car-free and gives them an easier pathway to navigate around vehicle traffic.[5] This legislation specifically targets streets which see high foot and bicycle traffic, such as near public facilities, schools, and train stations. Complete Streets established the requirements of a heavy-traffic road in Essex County to create bicycle and transit accommodations such as handicapped accessible sidewalks, crosswalks, countdown pedestrian signals, bike lanes, and pedestrian lighting. The road renovations began in 2013, and are expected to be completed within each township of the county.
Political Consulting
In 2014 Gill founded The BGill Group, a consulting firm catering to political and business management firms. Senator Cory Booker and former United States Ambassador to Germany Philip D. Murphy are among the firm's clients.[6]
Personal life
Gill lives in Montclair with his wife, Alixon, and two children. Gill chairs the Democratic Party of Montclair where he previously served on the Planning Board.[7] A proud member of the Ancient Order of Hibernians, he has marched in St. Patrick's Day Parades throughout New Jersey, serving as Grand Marshal of the 2014 Nutley St. Patrick's Day Parade.[8]
Notes
- ↑ Our Campaigns
- ↑ NJ.com
- ↑ Essex County Election Results
- ↑ New Jersey Association of Counties
- ↑ Essex County passes Complete Streets law - NorthJersey.com
- ↑ BGill Group
- ↑ Essex County Board of Chosen Freeholders
- ↑ Nutley St. Patrick's Parade dignitaries proud of heritage