Christie Names New Czar For NJ Post-Sandy Recovery Efforts [VIDEO]

Former executive assistant Attorney General Marc Ferzan has been tapped to manage Hurricane Sandy Recovery efforts within the Office of the Governor. Ferzan will be responsible for directing the task of overseeing and coordinating Governor Chris Christie’s long-term recovery efforts for New Jersey in cooperation with all federal, state, local, private, and non-governmental partners.

Christie says, “The magnitude of the challenges we have faced from Hurricane Sandy was met in equal measure with the bravery and selflessness of first responders and public servants, the resilience of families, and our collective hope to move forward, rebuild, and restore our state. We have a long way to go to rebuild, but the people of New Jersey have already shown that we are ready to meet the challenge.”

The Governor also announced today that super-storm Sandy caused $36.8 billion in damage in New Jersey. More than 30,000 homes or businesses were destroyed or sustained substantial damage from last month's storm. Christie says the Federal Emergency Management Agency has distributed more than $500 million in aid since the storm and 230,000 New Jerseyans have registered for assistance.

Ferzan’s first job will be assembling a core team to guide this effort and the different areas of focus that require long-term strategic planning. He will also begin to immediately work with Christie’s Cabinet, state personnel, federal and local governments and sources outside of government to bring together all information and resources established since Hurricane Sandy to build on and effectively execute the rebuilding efforts for the State of New Jersey.

“There is no more important task for New Jersey at this moment than to ensure that our families, neighborhoods, and communities recover and rebuild from the destruction of Hurricane Sandy,” says Ferzan. “I am honored to have the opportunity to return to public service under the leadership of Governor Christie. I share the strength of his commitment and advocacy for the victims of the storm and am dedicated to ensuring that New Jersey emerges from Sandy even stronger, more resilient, and more economically robust.”

Before joining the Attorney General’s Office, Ferzan served for more than 8 years as a federal prosecutor with the U.S Attorney’s Office in New Jersey where he held various leadership positions, including Chief of the Commercial Crimes Unit, Deputy Chief of the Criminal Division, and Acting Deputy and Executive Assistant U.S. Attorney. He also previously served as a Trial Attorney with the U.S. Department of Justice’s Tax Division and a Senior Counsel with the U.S Securities and Exchange Commission’s Division of Enforcement.  Marc received a Bachelor of Arts degree in 1989 from Rutgers College and his law degree in 1992 from Fordham University School of Law.