Brett Hodges hails from NY’s Hudson Valley, raised by parents who were a public-school teacher and a minister. Brett holds a Bachelor of Arts in Economics from the University of Arizona and an MBA from the University of New Mexico. He and his wife, Claudia, moved to Bernards in 2008.
As their two adult daughters made their way through the township’s public schools, Brett co-managed everything from Destination Imagination teams to Ridge Forensic competitions. He also served as co-President of the Ridge Marching Band Parents’ Association.
stephen "brett" Hodges
Brett’s professional career has spanned several areas, including the Staffing, Banking and Financial Services industries. Most recently, he spent 23 years at Prudential Financial, acting as a Project Director where, among several other roles, he spearheaded remediation efforts. He currently serves as the Lay Leader at Bishop Janes United Methodist Church and has been a former Treasurer and co-manager of the Evergreen Cemetery. Brett also serves on God’s Co-op Pantry’s Board of Directors.
Locally, in Bernards, Hodges believes there is an opportunity to ensure that diverse views and approaches are heard. He feels that living in a world dominated by one party, both at the national and local levels, is cause for concern. His upbringing, his Faith, his family and his life experiences have taught him to “walk your talk” — a principle that is motivating his run for Bernards Township Committee.
In terms of other interests and beliefs, Brett has been across the United States three times by motorcycle and sees life as being about more than textbooks and careers but defined by experiences. The Hodges have traveled extensively around the United States and the world, visiting Ireland, Greece, South Korea, Sweden, Chile, Peru, and England.
Born and raised in upstate New York, John Tompkins grew up in Ithaca and graduated from the University of Buffalo. He and his wife, Sharon, have lived in Bernards since 1999 and have two adult children who both attended Bernards Public Schools.
John enjoyed a dynamic career on Wall Street and spent eight years brokering currency arbitrage before building a credit default swap desk which he successfully ran until he retired in 2009. Post-retirement, John pivoted in an entirely different direction and founded JT’s Confections in 2012.
jOHN TOMPKINS
As his new business became profitable, Tompkins’ mission became, “To help those who help others” and he began donating all profits, minus operating expenses, to a variety of charities, including the following local non-profit organizations: the Summit Speech School, Homeless Solutions, The Battered Woman’s Shelter of NJ, and the Transition Program for young adults with special needs at the Randolph HS. JT’s also supports national organizations, specifically St Jude Children’s Hospital and Disabled American Vets.
In 2014 John became a Trustee and Member of the Board of the Summit Speech School and spent the next ten years strengthening the school’s position for continued success. He is eager to serve on the Bernards Township Committee as an effort to continue giving back to his community. John has witnessed a lot of local change over the last 26 years and wants to ensure that Bernards remains a great place to live and raise a family. When he’s not busy creating confections, he enjoys golfing and traveling with his family.
