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| Female political leaders honored Award honors female leaders Wednesday, March 22, 2006 By CHRIS STURGIS Special to The Times TRENTON -- Jeannine LaRue, deputy chief of staff to Gov. Jon Corzine, and Republican former Assemblywoman Rose Heck are the 2006 recipients of the Barbara Boggs Sigmund Award for Leaders with Vision. LaRue and Heck were honored at a dinner Monday at the Trenton Marriott at Lafayette Yard hotel for being effective leaders in the male-dominated world of politics. Patrizia Zita, chairwoman of the Women's Political Caucus of New Jersey's Political Action Committee, described both recipients as effective leaders who get their way through charm. Heck would wear a "very sweet smile" while explaining that she "thought you were completely wrong, that she completely disagreed with you, but she would take everything you said into account when she made her decision." "And, somehow, you would believe her," Zita said. She also described LaRue as "strong-willed and determined, but she goes about it in such a kind and general way," she said. The award is named in memory of the late Barbara Boggs Sigmund, who died in 1990, a transplanted southerner who led by persuasion and charm while Democratic mayor of Princeton Borough. Zita said the purpose of the event was to raise campaign money so more women can be elected. New Jersey is below average in the number of female state legislators, ranking 31st among the 50 states, up from 39th in 2005. Of New Jersey's 120 seats, 23 (19.2 percent) are held by women in the current Legislature. Of those, 16 -- 11 Democrats and five Republicans -- are in the 80-seat Assembly and seven -- five Democrats and two Republicans -- are in the 40-seat Senate. LaRue, a Trenton resident, was senior vice president of the Office of Governmental Affairs at Saint Barnabas Health Care System, where she had worked since 1997. She was also a co-chairwoman for the Corzine Connection in the recent gubernatorial campaign. She recently received the Kountz Heritage Award of Excellence at New Jersey Organ and Tissue Sharing Network's Heritage Awards. LaRue was introduced by Annette Catino, president and Chief Executive Officer of QualCare. "A leader is a dealer in hope, and Jeannine is the greatest dealer in hope there ever was," Catino said. LaRue said she developed her skills -- the most important of which is not making things more complicated than they need be -- by being a mother. "I keep it real. That's why the governor and I get along so well," she said. Heck of Hasbrouck Heights was praised for her service to the people of the 38th Legislature District and her service on the Assembly Advisory Council on Women. She was praised for holding hearings that led to a law guaranteeing mothers a miniumum hospital stay of 48 hours after giving birth. |