4 Community Leaders To Be Honored At Scouting America 2026 Awards Dinner

Scouting America, Patriots’ Path Council, will honor four locals at the 2026 Toast to Scouting Awards Dinner on Thursday, March 12, at 6:30 p.m. at The Imperia in Somerset.

This year’s honorees are Nick Cuozzo, Jeffrey Hermann, Sharmila Jaipersaud, and Jennifer Loughran.

The evening will include a reception, dinner, dessert, networking, awards presentation, and fellowship. The event recognizes outstanding citizens for their community service. Their leadership and interests within the community, along with their embodiment of the values of the Scout Oath and Law, are highlighted.

Timothy Ring, Councilman of Bridgewater Township and Director of Corporate Security at Aimbridge Hospitality, serves as the event chair. Ring, an Eagle Scout, stated, "This is not only a special night for the honorees, but also an evening where the community comes together to celebrate their passion for service to others."

Nick Cuozzo resides in Warren Township and is the Director of SkillOnNet, Inc. He serves on the Warren Township Historic Sites Committee and represents Warren on the Somerset County Cultural & Heritage Advisory Committee. Cuozzo was a Cub Scout and Boy Scout in Troop 368 in Berkeley Heights.

Jeffrey Hermann is the Chairman and CEO of Hermann Services, Inc. He founded Hermann Cares in 2009, which directs over $200,000 annually to support various organizations. Hermann also serves on the boards of the South Brunswick Economic Development Committee, New Jersey Motor Truck Association, and Middlesex County Chamber of Commerce.

Sharmila Jaipersaud is a Vice President, Associate General Counsel at Hackensack Meridian Health. She was President of the New Jersey Women Lawyers Association in 2023-2024 and President of the South Asian Bar Association of New Jersey in 2018. Jaipersaud is admitted to practice law in New Jersey and New York.

Jennifer Loughran is serving her second term as a mayoral appointee to the Parks Board in Bridgewater Township. She is also the founder of BR Skates Foundation and a Welding Instructor and Program Coordinator at Raritan Valley Community College’s Workforce Training Center. Loughran’s work with BR Skates Foundation includes creating recreational programs for young people.

Funds raised through the Toast to Scouting Awards Dinner support Scouting programs in Patriots’ Path Council. The council serves more than 17,000 youth and volunteers in over 290 Scouting units. These units are located in communities throughout Morris, Middlesex, Somerset, Sussex, and Union counties.

For more information on Scouting, attending the event, and sponsoring the program journal, contact Jennifer Volz, senior development director, at 973-765-9322, ext. 249, and jennifer.volz@scouting.org. Information also available at www.ppcscouting.org/special-events.