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TRENTON
– Attorney General Anne Milgram announced
today that Division of Consumer Affairs
Acting Director Stephen B. Nolan is stepping
down to return to the private practice of
law. The new Acting Director will be Lawrence
DeMarzo, who has been serving as the Division’s
Director of Consumer Relations.
"I
want to thank Stephen Nolan for his leadership,
and for his vigorous efforts on behalf of
consumers," said Attorney General Milgram.
"Under his stewardship, the Division
of Consumer Affairs has taken important
steps to ensure that New Jersey residents
get what they pay for, and that vendors,
contractors and others who engage in unscrupulous
business practices are held accountable."
DeMarzo has served as Director of Consumer
Relations since January 2006. In that capacity,
DeMarzo has supervised operation of the
Division's 43 professional licensing boards
and committees, acted as liaison between
the boards and other agencies of state government
and overseen operation of the Division’s
Enforcement Bureau. Prior to joining the
Division of Consumer Affairs, DeMarzo served
in 2004 and 2005 as a senior policy advisor
to then-Acting Governor Richard Codey. He
served as Codey’s Senate Chief of
Staff from 1981 through 1993.
"Larry
DeMarzo possesses a wealth of experience
and knowledge regarding the workings of
state and local government. We are fortunate
to have someone of his caliber as acting
director of the Division of Consumer Affairs,"
Milgram said.
"Through
the efforts of its many dedicated employees,
the Division of Consumer Affairs has a positive
effect on the lives of thousands of New
Jersey citizens each day. I look forward
to leading the Division in its mission to
protect New Jersey consumers," said
DeMarzo.
In
addition to his experience in state government,
DeMarzo worked as a director of public affairs
for Cablevision of New Jersey, and as assistant
to the president of Community Education
Centers, a leading private provider of rehabilitative
services to criminal justice systems throughout
the country.
DeMarzo, 55, is a graduate of Rutgers University
and Seton Hall University School of Law.
He lives in Montclair.
Nolan, 42, of Highland Park, was named Acting
Director of the Division of Consumer Affairs
in August 2006. Prior to that, he served
for a year as deputy director.
Among other things, Nolan was responsible
for implementation of the state’s
new prescription drug price registry, initiating
enforcement actions against various home
improvement contractors for unconscionable
business practices, leading a task force
that resulted in enforcement actions against
the Rite-Aid and Duane Reade chains for
allegedly selling expired baby formula and
over-the-counter medicine, as well as overcharging
for merchandise, and for working with the
state Legislature to pass the Predatory
Towing Prevention Act.
Before entering state government, Nolan
was a partner in the Philadelphia-based
law firm of Stradley, Ronon, Stevens &
Young. He will return to his former law
firm’s Cherry Hill offices.
"It
is a great honor to have served the people
of New Jersey and the Attorney General over
the past two years," said Nolan. "The
staff and professional licensing board members
I’ve worked with at Consumer Affairs
are an incredibly dedicated group of people."
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