For over 15 years Tom Kurek has been strengthening communities and businesses through his economic development work. His career began at the Department of the Treasury where he was awarded the Secretary of the Treasury Award for Outstanding Service to the Nation by Secretary Henry Paulson for leading a public-private commission on financial literacy. He then went on to spearhead the disaster recovery response in New Jersey after the devastation of Hurricane Sandy. As an expert in the Community Development Block Grant program, Tom had the unique ability to create and lead multiple CDBG funded programs worth over a billion dollars to help the people of New Jersey rebuild their homes and communities. Throughout his career Tom has worked with multiple municipalities and states to streamline regulations and effectively manage public and private funding essential to community development. Tom holds a Masters in Public Administration from the University of Pennsylvania