Joseph Cryan of Union Township is serving his fourth term in the state Legislature. Cryan, 46, first took his seat in the General Assembly in January 2002. He represents the 20th District, which consists of Elizabeth, Kenilworth, Roselle, and Union Township - all in Union County. Cryan currently works as an undersheriff for the Union County Sheriff’s Office. He oversees administration units, processing, internal affairs and K-9 units. He manages offices that return roughly $1.5 million back to taxpayers a year. Cryan also serves as the chairman of the New Jersey Democratic State Committee, a position he has held since February 2006. He served as vice chairman of the state party organization from 2002 to 2006. Cryan continues to serve as chairman of the Union Township Democratic municipal organization, a position he has held since 1998. Cryan is the son of Irish immigrants - John and Mary who came to America from County Donegal. He is co-founder and first president of the Irish-American Society of Union. His exemplary community service and successful promotion of Irish culture won him Irishman of the Year award. In 1997, he spearheaded the first-ever Saint Patrick’s Day Parade in Union County that currently draws as many as 50,000 spectators. Cryan continues to remain an active member of the Union Parade committee. He also is a vicepresident of the Brian Boru Association and a member of the Knights of Columbus Council 4504. For nearly 10 years, he worked for ITT Avionics in Clifton. Starting at an entry-level position in 1983, he rose to become operations manager in 1993 with a program budget in excess of $300 million and more than 100 persons reporting to him. He left ITT to join his family’s restaurant business in 1993, operating Cryan’s Restaurant in Metuchen. Born and raised in Newark, Cryan attained a bachelor’s degree in business administration from Belmont Abbey College in North Carolina in 1983.