Leadership Team
Joseph Labarbera
Chairman
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Joe, born in 1975 in Staten Island and educated in NYC, pursued a distinguished military career starting with his enlistment and subsequent commission as a Marine Officer, serving notably in Kosovo and with NATO operations. Transitioning to the Army Infantry post-9/11 to fulfill his desire to serve in Afghanistan, he displayed exemplary leadership in various combat and advisory roles across multiple deployments, culminating as the Command Inspector General at the Army’s National Training Center. Post-military, Joe completed an MBA and settled in Sussex County, focusing on food sustainability and small farm advocacy while managing a business with his wife. Active in local politics since 2019, he has significantly contributed to GOP efforts, advocating for transparency, parental rights, and supporting law enforcement, while also critiquing the effectiveness of local Republican strategies through his analytical platform, "Climb to Glory." Joe is committed to enhancing the quality of life and ensuring the political integrity of Sussex County and New Jersey, emphasizing the need for competent GOP candidates to maintain local control.
Barbara Holstein
Vice Chair
Barbara, a long-term Sussex County resident and mother of a U.S. Marine Corps Sergeant, boasts an educational background with a BA in Special Education from William Paterson University and multiple teaching licenses. Her activism intensified in 2020, engaging in local governance and state-level protests to support Second Amendment rights and oppose COVID-19 lockdowns. As a Montague School Board president, she has successfully advocated for zero tax increases, optional mask policies, and continuous in-person schooling, opposing divisive educational standards and protocols. Barbara aims to leverage her grassroots experience and conservative values in her new role as Vice-Chair of the Sussex County Republican Committee, striving for the welfare of all county residents.
Gene Wronko
Executive Director / Secretary
Gene, the Mayor of Stanhope and a dedicated resident of Sussex County for over twenty years, balances his professional life as an executive and entrepreneur with his roles as a father of three. His background is marked by service; he is a U.S. Navy veteran, a volunteer firefighter, and an ambulance corps driver. Gene's political journey includes prior roles on the Stanhope Borough Council and the Sussex County Republican Committee, where he now serves as Secretary. His commitment to education and community service extends to his past involvement with the Stanhope Schools Board of Education and various non-profit organizations. Committed to conservative principles, Gene advocates for fiscal responsibility, personal freedom, family values, and transparency, while opposing progressive liberal policies affecting local to national levels.
