I met Sal 1.5 years as a colleague at NJDEP. I knew Sal from his efforts to assemble a slate to run against the entrenched incumbent in the CWA Local 1034 race of last year. Sal ran as the president on the Slate. Sal's commitment to the democratic process and his tireless efforts to democratize our union impressed me greatly. I understood from his attitude and actions that Sal was a great patriot who was deeply committed to his country and had a sincere belief that the union's current leadership did not fairly and democratically represent the concerns of the average state employee. While others sat back and complained or shrugged in resignation, Sal stepped forward and put great effort into an unfortunately unsuccessful attempt to make a difference in the lives of his colleagues. In addition to his commitment to this effort, Sal was a decent and honest human being who was extremely warm and knowledgeable on a wide range of topics. I had several in depth conversations with him about the war on terrorism and his early experiences in India which I found extremely interesting and admirable. I am grateful having known Sal for too a short time. He will be missed.</b></font><br><br>
