New Jersey Lottery Executive Director Carole Hedinger announced that Frank V. Ragazzo of Hamilton Township has been re-elected as Chairman of the New Jersey State Lottery Commission. Chairman Ragazzo has been serving as a Lottery Commissioner since 2009.

Patrick P. Toscano, Jr., Esq. of Fairfield, Essex County was elected to serve as Vice Chairman. Vice Chairman Toscano was appointed to the Commission in 2013.

Commissioner Ragazzo holds a Bachelor of Arts in Math Education and a Master of Arts in Education from The College of New Jersey. Before beginning his current 10-year career as a broker/agent for Re/Max Tri-County in Hamilton, he was a math teacher for the Hamilton Township School Board for 10 years. He also served for 22 years as Executive Director of the Mercer County Park Commission, retiring in 2003. After leaving the Park Commission, Mr. Ragazzo served as the Business Administrator in Ewing Township, and later as the Public Works Director for Hamilton Township.

Commissioner Toscano holds a Bachelor of Arts in Criminal Justice from Seton Hall University in South Orange and a Juris Doctor from Seton Hall University School of Law in Newark. He is President of the Toscano Law Firm, LLC in Caldwell, and serves as an adjunct professor of criminal justice at Seton Hall University in South Orange.

The other Lottery Commissioners currently serving are:  Robert James D’Anton of Toms River and Robert Slater of Mendham.

The New Jersey Lottery Commission is comprised of the State Treasurer and six New Jersey residents who are bipartisan members, appointed by the Governor with the advice and consent of the State Senate. Commission terms are five years and are non-salaried. The New Jersey Lottery’s Chief Operating Officer is the Executive Director who also serves as Secretary to the Commission. The Commission reports monthly to the Governor and the Legislature on total Lottery revenue, prize disbursements and other expenses for the preceding month. In addition, it makes continuous study of the Lottery’s operation and administration. The Commission has the power and duty to approve rules and regulations that pertain to but is not limited to: types of lottery games, ticket prices, prizes and drawing procedures. Complete Commission duties can be found at www.NJLottery.com in the About Us section.