Volunteer for Six Decades Earns Lifetime Achievement Award

When the Somerset County Business Partnership meets at its annual meeting and "Celebration of Success" Monday, about 400 of the county's leading business people will be on hand to honor Bridgewater's Rocque Dameo.

Dameo, owner of Dameo Trucking, will receive the SCBP Lifetime Achievement Award for his contributions to the Somerset County community for more than 60 years. 

The Lifetime Achievement Award is only presented when an individual’s history of positive contribution to Somerset County reaches a pinnacle of dedication and accomplishment.  

“Rocque Dameo has been a fixture in Somerset County for nearly 60 years and throughout his entire career he has been a giver, a supporter, a contributor, and an asset to all that is good in our community,” Ray Bateman, former state Senator and recipient of 1977 Outstanding Citizen of the Year, said. “Receiving a Lifetime Achievement award is well deserved and represents a legacy that will live on through his children and their children.” 

Dameo, a Bridgewater resident since 1957, is a longtime member of the Rotary Club of Somerville, a 30-year member and president of the Somerset County Park Commission, and currently serves as chairman of the Somerset County Parks Foundation.

He is a founding member of the 200 Club supporting the needs of families of police, fire, and public safety volunteers; and a founding member of Bridgewater OPCOP and serves on the Board of Somerset County Crime Stoppers. 

Over the years he has contributed his rolling stock to collect and distribute resources in times of emergency and he annually provides the viewing platform for Raritan’s John Basilone Parade, having provided transportation for Basilone himself in the town’s inaugural parade. 

"There are few people in Somerset County who have contributed so much for so long," the SCBP noted in a press release announcing his selection. "It is difficult to refer to Rocgue Dameo as one of a kind as he has raised his sons with a similar need to involve themselves in their communities. A skier, a pilot, a father, a grandfather, and a friend to hundreds, Rocque has made Somerset County better for all of us."

The annual meeting highlights notable successes among county businesses and will also be honoring Primus Green Energy, a Hillsborough-based alternative drop-in fuel producer, including high-octane gasoline, diesel fuel and jet fuel produced from readily available domestic resources such as natural gas and biomass; M&E Engineers, of Somerville, for the company’s growth due in part to its leadership position in sustainable and resilient engineering design, energy modeling, energy audits; and The Center School, of Branchburg, for their success in educating learning disabled students with a strong focus on training to enable entry into the work force. 

“The annual meeting is the most important gathering of the year in Somerset County," Business Partnership CEO Mike Kerwin said. "It transcends the business community, representing to the general public the hard work and innovation that has contributed to making Somerset County the great place to live, work, and recreate.”

The meeting begins with an 11:30 a.m. networking reception, followed by the luncheon at 12:15 p.m. Monday, at the Palace at Somerset Park, 333 Davidson Ave. in Somerset.

The luncheon will include a review of the Business Partnership’s accomplishments of the past year and setting the agenda for a prosperous and sustainable 2014 for the Somerset County business community will be followed by presentation of the awards. 

Reservations may be made online or by calling the Somerset County Business Partnership at 908-218-4300. Major sponsorship for the Annual Meeting is provided by PNC Wealth Management, NJ.com, and Somerset Savings Bank.