Board of Directors | strikeouthungernj

our Board of Directors

Jay Arancio
President

With his focus on that which is most important to him, Jay Arancio is able to pay it forward in ways that matter most!!
A 39-year Alexandria Township resident, Jay moved from NY during his senior year of high school. He worked as a graphic designer and owned a small ad agency, Media Works, for 25 years!

In 2008, Jay took a path to reinvent himself physically and mentally. Fulfilling his desire to pay it forward, he became a certified health coach and has been running a very successful coaching team for over 10 years, working with over 1,500 clients, coaches, and health professionals!

With the additional freedom in his career, Jay is able to focus on that which is most important: family, friends, and community! "I feel that I am most fulfilled when I help others, so I serve through volunteering!"And volunteering he does!! Jay serves as Deputy Mayor of the Alexandria Township

"As busy as my schedule already is, I couldn't turn down being part of such a worthy cause," Jay said, of the honor to serve on the board of directors for Strike Out Hunger. Jay is the General Manager and a player for the Alexandria Anarchy softball team.

On a personal level, Jay is an extremely proud husband to his wife, Cindy, and Dad to his daughter, Mia! "Mia has taken the best of both of us and inspires me every day! She truly is the catalyst, my WHY, my reason for why I do what I do!"

Jay created the opportunity to change lives on a daily basis, and he works hard to make incredible transformations! He is a part of many communities within his town and goes above and beyond to lead, give back, and better those communities via his career and volunteer work!!

Bill Benz

Vice President

As Owner & Chief Digital Officer at the Carnegie Agency, Bill Benz provides websites and digital marketing capabilities to small and medium-sized companies, priced to be affordable for any business.

Before his role at Carnegie Agency, he spent over 25 years in the Financial Services Investment Management industry.

Bill is the Managing Member of the Lehigh Valley Opportunity Zone Fund, a local Qualified Opportunity Fund located in the town of Phillipsburg, New Jersey, Vice President of the Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania Alumni Board of Trustees, Vice President of the North River Business Network located in Hunterdon County, a Board member of the Phillipsburg Chamber of Commerce and Vice Chair of the Lehigh Valley Chamber Small Business Council.

Charlie White

Board Secretary

Charlie found herself involved in volunteer work when she was first approached to assist with Milford Alive almost ten years ago. Working with a small team, she helped turn a popular local event into an award-winning street fair attended by over 6,000 annually.

Inspired by this success, Charlie and her husband Bob got involved with small-town politics, focusing on struggling small businesses, bare pantries, and attention needed to abandoned properties. Charlie volunteers at the Presbyterian Church of Milford (PCOM), and runs multiple social media pages promoting her local town as well as other projects. She became an Elder at PCOM six years ago and was asked to lead the Mission Committee, where she focused on collecting food for the pantries. After getting involved, she and her husband learned the shocking truth: New Jersey has over 1 million people who are considered “food insecure”, with 8,000 of them right here in Hunterdon County. With her husband, she co-founded the Mayhem and the tournament, which has grown to Strike Out Hunger NJ.

Inspired by the mission, her church opened its own food pantry on March 31 of this year.

Charlie’s mission, “Strike Out Hunger NJ”, will go beyond the tournament. With like-minded individuals, she has formed a non-profit organization, connecting the local pantries and non-profits such as Meals on Wheels, Feeding America and NORWESCAP, to work together to help feed New Jersey, one pantry at a time.

Meghan T. Casey

Financial Advisor - StrikeOut Hunger NJ

My interest in investing started early when I was gifted mutual funds from my grandfather earmarked for my college education. Once I received them, I couldn’t learn enough about them – I was hooked on all things investing. Fast forward to beginning my college days, and those funds did help me pay for my continued education at Delaware Valley University in Doylestown, Pennsylvania. There, I obtained my bachelor's degree in biology. I was also afforded a leadership position with my fellow Aggies as captain of the field hockey team during my junior and senior years.

After college, I obtained my series 6,7,63,66, and most recently the AAMS® designation. I continue to expand my learning whenever I can - I believe this is vital to assist my clients in navigating uncertain markets in the increasingly complex financial environment in which we all live. As much as I enjoy learning, the education that I can provide my clients gives me the utmost joy. I strive to provide them with the comfort of understanding the products available to them and how implementing them can help to achieve their aspirations. Preparing my clients for what is to come, and then throughout life events, I guide the decisions and financial implications of job changes, divorce, additions to the family, and the care and support of aging parents.

My focus areas include but are not limited to:
- Retirement income strategies
- Insurance and annuities
- Estate and legacy strategies
- College savings

I take so much pride in spending time in the office I have built with the assistance of my community. It is both an honor and a privilege to go to work each day. When I am not in the office, I keep busy giving back, actively participating with one of my many charitable social groups. At home, I am daughter to Greg, wife to Alex, and Mom to Reid. I love to garden and take care of my pets, but the best time spent is that which I get to invest with my family.

Bob White

Board Member - At Large

Bob White, aka ‘Gator’, earned his Masters's Degree from the University of Florida. For over 20 years he has been active in the specialty gas sector, with projects ranging as far as the Star Wars defense initiative, NASA's Dawn Project to study the asteroid belt, and even spent two years as head of a small German subsidiary.

With his wife Charlie, he co-founded the Mayhem and the Milford vs. Frenchtown game, which developed into Strike Out Hunger NJ.

He splits his free time between serving on the Milford Borough Council, and Planning Board, and trying to end hunger in NJ.

Doug Cole

Board Member - At Large

Doug Cole is licensed to practice law in New Jersey and Pennsylvania since 1993, and also admitted to practice in the United States District Court, District of New Jersey; Eastern District of Pennsylvania and U.S. Court of Appeals for the 3rd Circuit. Mr. Cole received his B.A. from the University of Southern Maine in 1990 and J.D. from Temple University School of Law in 1993. His practice concentrates in family law, commercial litigation, bankruptcy, estates, and estate planning. In addition, Mr. Cole’s practice includes commercial and residential real estate, criminal and municipal court law, immigration services, Social Security disability appeals, personal injury and Worker’s Compensation.

His experienced legal team consists of a paralegal and legal assistant.

Joe Toye

Board Member - At Large

Joe has been softball crazy for over 30 years but it was just six years ago when he started coaching the Milford team, that he was diagnosed as being severely Mayhem crazy. As the Mayhem coach and pitcher, Joe considers himself to be most fortunate to have been part of the mission since game one back in 2014. But in his softball heart and soul, Joe fully embraces the true purpose of Strike Out Hunger NJ of working to help those less fortunate due to food insecurity. He’d love for the Mayhem to win the tournament but regardless of who takes the trophy home, Joe believes that we all win by being committed to ending food insecurity for all.

He currently lives in Hunterdon County with his wife, two daughters, two dogs, three rabbits, and one crazy cat.

Westley Hackmann

Board Member - At Large

Westley Hackmann is an Account Supervisor for Oxford Communications, a global marketing agency. In this role, he is responsible for the development of strategic marketing and advertising campaigns that will move the needle for his clients. He recently was honored as New Jersey's Best Marketing Professionals Under 40 from the NJ Ad Club.

When he’s not in the office, Westley is deeply involved in his local community. He currently serves as Vice President of the Holland Township School Board and was previously a member of the Milford Borough School Board from 13 – 17. Westley is also the Team Captain for the Milford Mayhem, one of the original participating teams for the softball benefit tournament to Strike Out Hunger NJ. He also annually organizes a food drive for the Trenton Area Soup Kitchen and a holiday gift drive for the Children’s Home Society in Trenton.

Westley holds a bachelor’s degree in communications from Fairleigh Dickinson University. He is an avid sports fan and resides in Milford, NJ with his wife and two daughters.

Mike Ward

Board Member - At Large