2023 FSSP President – Russell Crosby

At the age of 35, Russell is the 8th President of Hunterdon County chapter of The Friendly Sons of St. Patrick, and the youngest to date. Russell is of Irish American heritage and has been a member of the FSSP for half a decade. Community and philanthropy are his passion and the reason he joined the organization. Prior to joining the Friendly Sons Russell made it his mission to improve the lives of his neighbors through charitable acts. Some of these include hosting sock drives for the military, cleaning up the “Welcome to Clinton” signs, and raising money for breast cancer screening. Working alongside the amazing brothers of the Friendly Sons of St. Patrick has proven to be very effective in pursuing his goal of changing people’s trajectory in life and giving them hope.

2023 Grand Marshal – Mr. Bill Wilson

William Hugh Wilson was born in Plainfield, NJ in 1960 to parents of proud Scotch Irish heritage. Throughout his childhood, he put his size and strength to good use, ultimately becoming an All-American discus and shot-put thrower at St. Joseph’s High School in Metuchen. After graduation, he began a career of dedicated service to Montrose Molders, the manufacturing company founded by his father, William Bruce Wilson. In 2004, he purchased the company and presided over its rapid growth into a global enterprise with a customer base representing more than 15 industries and a supply chain spanning four continents.

Today Bill is part owner of many different ventures, including Precision Properties, a real estate firm, and Riteway Polymers, a commodity distribution business. He sits on the board of Pedowitz Machinery Movers and Rigging in an advisory capacity and is affiliated with several car clubs. In 2020, Bill took a minority share in CRDC Global, an innovative company that collects harmful plastic waste from the world’s landfills, riverbeds, and oceans and turns it into aggregate filler for the cement block industry. He has been instrumental in setting up the first CRDC test facility in York, PA, which will go fully online in Q4 2022.

In 1996, Bill relocated his family to Hunterdon County, where he fell in love with the community and the rural landscape. Most fulfilling, he paid homage to his Irish lineage by joining the Friendly Sons of St. Patrick in 2014, a fantastic organization in which he has proudly and happily participated for eight years, serving as Trustee for two. Even though his schedule does not provide Bill with a lot of free time, he understands the importance of giving back and whole heartedly believes in the core values of The Friendly Son’s and what they do for the community.

Bill is most at home when with his family; Virginia, his wife of 27 years, his sons, Brendan, Andrew, Austin, and William, and his grandsons, James, Roman, and Damian. He is both humbled and honored to be named Grand Marshal of the 2023 Friendly Sons of St. Patrick Hunterdon County. It is one of the highest honors of his life.

2023 Irishman of the Year – Mr. Don O’Keefe

Don O’Keefe was born in Plainfield, NJ, and the eventual clan of six boys and one girl resided with their parents John O’Keefe and Dorothy (Flynn) O’Keefe in South Plainfield through their formative years. As a young boy Don loved playing basketball day and night, in sun or snow. In his senior year at SPHS he earned Defensive Player of the Year honors, a satisfying reward for all the hard work (fun) he had put in. Don continued playing the sport he loved into his college years, and in organized leagues afterwards until his knees gave out at age 59. Throughout these years Don also coached his son Matthew in youth basketball leagues in grade 5 through 8 until Matt found football and continued with that sport through his high school years excelling as an offensive lineman. Don’s love for basketball was transformed into a fundraising effort teaming with his son (competing with many other teams) for several years to shoot foul shots raising money from sponsors toward finding a cure for a debilitating inherited progressive brain disorder known as Huntington’s disease.

Don attended Middlesex County College, prior to graduating from Kean University where he received his bachelor’s degree in Business Administration and Management while working full time at various accounting positions at Wakefern Food Corporation – the corporate offices for ShopRite stores. Don subsequently moved on to the corporate offices of The Great Atlantic and Pacific Tea Company (for A&P stores) in Montvale, NJ, concluding his tenure as VP Finance. Don finished his “three company” business career tour at Weichert Realtors corporate offices in Morris Plains, NJ as Director, Internal Audit for all of Jim Weichert’s companies (Real Estate offices, Mortgage Company, Title Agency, Relocation, Insurance Agency, etc.) before retiring in 2019. Jim Weichert continues to support FSSP via contributions to our St. Patrick’s Day Parade from the Weichert Clinton office.

Don’s main volunteer energies consist of supporting any type of cancer research and also towards special needs individuals. His effort to find a cure for cancer is a personal one, as it is for all who have lost loved ones to this horrible disease. He has also participated in the Polar Bear Plunge in Seaside Heights, NJ for over 10 years raising significant amounts for the Special Olympics of NJ (SONG) organization thanks to the support through contributions of friends and relatives to him and his team.

After moving to the Clinton area, Don visited Bill Healy Designs Crystal Store in downtown Clinton where the owner and FSSP member Bill Healy invited Don to an FSSP meeting (as he had done with many other current members). Don joined the FSSP organization in 2014 and shortly after was elected Sergeant-At-Arms serving through 2016. In 2017, Don was elected Treasurer and served for 5 years through December 2021. Although residing in Toms River after retiring in 2019, Don continued in his Treasurer role until the organization found and elected a new member to the position in 2022. In January 2022 Don was granted a special appointment by the Board as short-term Trustee. In this capacity Don will monitor some financial transactions and develop the annual Trustee Report for presentation to the elected Trustees of the organization. Don is also a member of the Toms River Elks, participating in many of their fundraising activities in support of veterans and special needs groups.

Don met his wife Bunny in Glen Gardner in 2002 and years later moved to the Beaver Brook community in 2008 to be closer to her. They eventually moved into their combined home in 2011 with Bunny’s sons Jesse and Justin Burgoyne to be closer to downtown Clinton and eventually married in 2016. Don’s son Matthew and wife Holly has blessed him with a wonderful grandson Garrett (8) and beautiful granddaughter Adelaide (2 ½).

Don’s paternal grandparents came to the US from Cork (orig. spelling O’Keeffe) and his maternal grandparents emigrated from Waterford (Flynn). The O’Keefe’s originally made their home in Alabama, before finally settling in Westfield, NJ. Don’s father John married Dorothy Flynn and made their lifelong home in South Plainfield. Remarkably, all of Don’s siblings continue to reside in New Jersey and two of them still live in South Plainfield.

2022 Grand Marshal – Mr. David Bolduc

David Bolduc is honored to have been invited to serve as Grand Marshal of the 2022 Friendly Sons of St. Patrick Hunterdon County, St. Patrick’s Day Parade in beautiful Clinton, NJ. Dave has much reverence and respect for his Irish heritage, which through his mother Kathleen, traces back to the Claffey Clan in County Mayo.

Dave was born in Manchester CT and moved to Fanwood NJ at the age of 9. He graduated from Scotch Plains Fanwood HS and holds a BS from the New Jersey Institute of technology. Dave has spent nearly 30 years working for the Linden Board of Education as an IT Specialist. Prior to that he worked In NYC over a decade for Bell & Howell.

Additionally, for 35 years he has been entertaining at events throughout the northeast with his mobile DJ Company – Party Host Events. Since 2009, Dave has been using his talent and passion in work for the FSSP – an organization with a selfless commitment to assist families with needs in the County. This work is very dear to his heart. Dave developed and manages the Charity’s Facebook page and its web site – www.fssphunterdon.com and is often referred to as “The Voice” of FSSP Hunterdon having announced at the Clinton St. Patrick’s Day Parade since its birth eight years ago, and at many other FSSP events.

Dave and his wife Elidia live in Clinton Township NJ with their Shih Tzu, George, the true head of the house. They have three children, Ricardo, Nicole, and Kristina and five grandsons – Aiden, Augie, Austin, Salvatore, and Alexander. Dave has a brother Patrick and a sister Shannon. Shannon danced with the Peter Smith School of Irish Dance which included an appearance on the stage of Radio City Music Hall.

Dave is eager to celebrate this day with you and remind you that “If you’re enough lucky to be Irish… You’re lucky enough!”

FSSP Presidents

1st – Pat Whalen (2008-’09)

2nd – Pat Barrett (2010-’11)

3rd – Mike Darcy (2012-’13)

4th – Shaun Connolly (2014-’15)

5th – Bernie Gallagher (2016-’17)

6th – Brian Manning (2018-’19)

7th – Bill Healy (2020-’21)

FSSP Irishmen of the Year

2011 Bill Healy

2012 Tony Kearns

2013 Willie Lynch

2014 Shane Berry

2015 Ken Oldham

2016 Shaun Connolly

2017 Bob Junge

2018 Bill Healy

2019 Bernie Gallagher

2020 Leo Frey

2021 Gary White

FSSP Parade Grand Marshals

2014 Pat Whalen

2015 Gary Sanderson

2016 Michael Darcy

2017 Pat Barrett

2018 Michael Doherty

2019 Kevin Walsh

2020 Rich Hall

2021 No Parade

2022 Dave Bolduc