By Frank Sinatra, AAP Editor

During the Jan. 5 Pennsauken Township Committee reorganization meeting, the governing body’s leadership was selected for 2026. Patrick Olivo is the town’s newest mayor, and Vince Martinez is this year’s deputy mayor. The pair previously held these leadership roles in 2023, with Martinez serving as mayor and Olivo as deputy mayor.

“This is my first time serving as mayor, so this means a lot to me,” said Mayor Olivo. “This is a wonderful opportunity to serve, but I also know we work as a team. I have the rest of the Committee alongside me. Vince and I have a special bond; we’ve worked together on a lot of things, and we’re ready to tackle 2026 head-on.

“I’ve been a Pennsauken resident for 44 years, and as a kid, I used to walk by the Municipal Building on my way to Central School. I was always intrigued by what was going on there. Now, I get to serve as mayor of the town I grew up in. It’s definitely an honor.”

“Working with Mayor Olivo means a lot to me, because we’ve always focused on doing the job the right way — show up, work hard, and put Pennsauken residents first,” added Deputy Mayor Martinez. “I’m proud to serve on Township Committee. When you work as a team, you can accomplish a lot of things.”

Mayor Olivo first joined Township Committee in June 2021 to fill an open seat on the governing body. He is a supervisor with the Pennsauken Sewerage Authority, where he has worked for more than two decades. A former member of the Pennsauken Environmental Commission, Olivo also has the departmental responsibility of the Pennsauken Zoning Board of Adjustment and currently sits on the Pennsauken Planning Board. For many years, he has helped with Pennsauken’s annual Angel Tree program, as well as the town’s holiday home decorating contest. He is an avid blood donor and a proud member of the Sons of Italy in America.

Olivo is raising his two young children, Ava and Logan, at the Townes at Haddon Point. A proud member of Pennsauken High School’s Class of 1997, he has fond memories of growing up in town and playing PYAA sports.

Deputy Mayor Martinez was elected to his first three-year term on Pennsauken Township Committee in 2020. The lifelong Township resident and member of Pennsauken High School’s Class of 2002 grew up near Carson Elementary and now lives in the Bloomfield section of town with his wife, Ellie, and two sons, Vince Jr. and Lincoln.

Martinez is the first Hispanic male to serve on Township Committee, and in 2023 he was sworn in as Pennsauken’s first Hispanic male mayor. He also served as the town’s public safety director in 2024.

In 2025, Martinez received Camden County’s Prominent Hispanic Award and was recognized as a “Friend of the Irish” by the New Jersey Fifth Legislative District.

Martinez is a member of the International Union of Painters and Allied Trades District Council 21 Local 2011. He is also involved with Merchantville Pennsauken Little League and organizes yearly youth baseball clinics for Pennsauken and Merchantville children.

Olivo and Martinez will work along side the other members of Township Committee as construction continues on the two-story, 34,000-square-foot Pennsauken Community Center being built along Westfield Avenue. The Committee is also focused on managing infrastructure projects, maintaining public safety, supporting youth programs, and investing in the town’s parks and playgrounds.

“Youth programs build stronger people,” explained Olivo. “I was in PYAA as a kid, and it really made a difference in my life. Whether it’s intramural sports or summer youth programming, these types of programs help develop important traits like leadership and teamwork.”

“Our team has upgraded more than a dozen parks and recreational complexes through grant funding, along with ongoing improvements. We’ve made real progress over the last few years,” continued Martinez. “This allows for spaces where families can get outside, stay active, and spend time together.”

The reorganization meeting for Pennsauken Township was livestreamed on YouTube and can be found at YouTube.com/PennsaukenTelevision. A more detailed recap of the night’s proceedings will be published in the February edition of All Around Pennsauken.