Essex County Executive Joseph N. DiVincenzo Jr., center, recognizes Essex County Deputy Parks and Recreation Director Kate Hartwyk, left, as the 2022 Essex County Irishwoman of the Year, and Seton Hall University Executive Vice President and Chief of Staff Patrick G. Lyons, right, as the 2022 Essex County Irishman of the Year.
NEWARK, NJ — At the annual Essex County Irish Heritage Celebration on Monday, March 14, Essex County Executive Joseph N. DiVincenzo Jr. recognized Seton Hall University Executive Vice President and Chief of Staff Patrick G. Lyons, of Montclair, as the 2022 Essex County Irishman of the Year and Essex County Deputy Parks and Recreation Director Kate Hartwyk, of Verona, as the 2022 Essex County Irishwoman of the Year. The Irish Heritage event recognizes the impact Irish men and women have had on the cultural, civic, political, law enforcement and economic history of the county.
“I have always said that the strength of Essex County lies in the diversity of the people living and working within our borders. This diversity stems throughout every corner of the county and highlighting the contributions that each ethnicity has had on our economy, culture and history are part of what creates our sense of community,” DiVincenzo said. “Pat Lyons and Kate Hartwyk have helped shape the quality of life in our county through their leadership and civic involvement. We are proud to recognize their accomplishments and the positive impact they have had.”
Lyons was named executive vice president and chief of staff of Seton Hall University on June 10, 2019. He oversees athletics, facilities and operations, human resources, strategy and the office of the president. Prior to his appointment, Lyons served for eight years as the university’s vice president for athletics and recreational services. In that role, he led the university through a period of remarkable success in competition, academics, infrastructure growth and conference realignment, thereby enhancing the college experience for Seton Hall’s 14 NCAA Division I athletics programs and the student body as a whole.
Lyons transformed Seton Hall’s athletic facilities through the Pride & Excellence Campaign, a fundraising initiative of the Pirate Blue Athletic Fund that directly led to new state-of-the-art spaces, including an academic center, fitness center, sports medicine center, varsity weight room, film room, golf lab, locker rooms for all varsity sports ,and a new lobby in the Richie Regan Athletic and Recreation Center that features the interactive Seton Hall Athletics Hall of Fame. In addition, Seton Hall student-athletes’ collective grade-point average reached an all-time high, and they enjoyed renewed success on the field while competing in the Big East, one of the most historic and successful conferences in the nation.
“It is such an honor to receive this award from Essex County,” Lyons said. “I am proud to be a part of Essex County.”
As deputy director of the Essex County Department of Parks, Recreation & Cultural Affairs, Hartwyk oversees Turtle Back Zoo and the South Mountain Recreation Complex; both attractions welcome millions of visitors each year. Hartwyk previously served as the director of the Essex County Division of Cultural Affairs. In that role, she expanded its local grant program to award nearly 50 microgrants annually to support arts organizations and programs throughout Essex and initiated a history grant program with support from the New Jersey Historical Commission. Hartwyk founded the arts and history liaison program, pairing members of the Arts & History Advisory Board with grant recipients, creating a mentor-mentee program. In recognition of its continued presentation of high-quality programs and services, the division was recognized by the New Jersey State Council on the Arts as a “Major Presenting and Service Organization.” The division expanded its accessibility offerings by adding assisted-listening devices to its popular SummerMusic concert series, and creating the Branch Brook Park historic cell phone tour in both English and Spanish.
In 2012, Hartwyk was elected president of the Association of New Jersey County Cultural and Historic Agencies. In this role, she represented the needs and concerns of the county cultural and historical agencies throughout the state of New Jersey. She was most recently elected to serve as a trustee with the New Jersey History Advocates.
“I want to thank the county executive and our Parks Director Dan Salvante for giving me this great opportunity. It is said that if you love your job you will never work a day in your life, and that’s true with me,” Hartwyk said.
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