PRESS RELEASE

My name is Brian Bergen.  I am a West Point graduate, former Army Officer, combat Veteran, dedicated family man, small business owner and active community volunteer. I am extremely excited for the opportunity to launch a campaign for NJ State Assembly in LD25. I have been humbled by the outpouring of support I have received thus far. My goal is to unite the party behind me in June 2019 and lead the Republican efforts to take back seats we have lost in the past few years. For the next 6 months, I will work tirelessly to support the Republican candidates in the 25th district in their campaign efforts.

Background

In 2001, I graduated from West Point and served with distinction for 8 years in the US Army. During my service I earned several honors, including the Bronze Star for my actions as an Apache helicopter pilot in Iraq in 2005. My military career provided opportunity to lead Soldiers and work directly with government contractors and employees. In the military I held several positions including being the Executive Officer for a 500 person military battalion and subsequently the Commander of 250 Soldiers.

My work experience after the military is a rapid progression through a variety of different positions and in different industries. All of these moves were made in an effort to gain a full depth and breadth of business operations and management. These positions included roles in finance, operations management, process improvement, general management, executive management, and entrepreneurship. I am currently a small business owner for an interior landscape company (Bergen Botanicals) where I give 20% of all company profits to veterans organizations.

My education includes a Bachelor of Science Degree from the United States Military Academy, a Master of Science in the Administration of Justice and Security from the University of Phoenix, an MBA from Rutgers Business School and a Lean Six Sigma Black Belt certificate from Villanova.

I am a member of the VFW and American Legion and a Councilman in Denville Township. I’ve served on the Zoning Board, Planning Board, as a Trustee of my lake community and have served on several community service committees.

I am dedicated and driven to improve the lives of the residents of New Jersey. We desperately need to elect candidates who can work across the aisle to implement policy that serves the best interests of our residents without compromising our freedoms.

Why now?

The retirement of Assemblyman Michael Patrick Carroll opens up a tremendous opportunity for me to get involved at a level where I can really make a difference. I see the opportunity as a calling and I plan on answering it and being a dedicated servant to the people of the 25th district.

What makes you different?

There are no other potential candidates in the Republican party that have the depth and breadth of experience that I do. My military and business background, combined with my service to the community, give me a unique ability to relate to a broad range of people. I have always been a servant leader who puts the needs of others before my own and I will continue to do that at every level. I will begin the hard work of legislating the day I get into office and I will be relentless in my resolve to improve the quality of life for my constituents. I’m not enamored by titles and I am not looking for a career in politics. I want to get as much done for the people of New Jersey as I can as fast as I can, and when I feel I am no longer effective at driving major change on the behalf of the people I represent, then I will hand the reins off to someone who can. This isn’t about me, it is about us. I’m ready to work.

What advantage does being a veteran give you in your ability to legislate?

Being a veteran gives me a common bond with people of any background or political party. Commonality in service to the country is a great connector. There are currently eight Democrats who are veterans in the Assembly, but only two Republicans. Increasing the numbers of veterans in the assembly will surely lead to more reasonable discussions across the aisle. We can always compromise on policy so long as we don’t compromise our values. I look forward to working with my brothers and sisters in arms as we bring the commitment to excellence we had in the military to the State of New Jersey.