Meet Mary Jane Surrago | NIB Board of Directors - National Industries for the Blind

Mary Jane Surrago, Assistant Secretary Emeritus

Upon her retirement in February 2025 after 50 years of service, the NIB Board of Directors bestowed upon Mary Jane Surrago the title of assistant secretary emeritus and designated her as recipient of the R. B. Irwin Award, the highest honor given by NIB to a professional in the field.

While assistant secretary of NIB, as well as NIB’s related corporations – Empire State Employment Resources for the Blind and NSITE – Ms. Surrago played a key role in chronicling the growth and progress of the three organizations, serving as a communications liaison between the Boards of Directors and senior leadership, specifically regarding corporate governance matters and historical issues.

In her previous role as NIB’s vice president-administration, she was responsible for corporate governance, communications, event management, and rehabilitation services. For NIB’s 75th anniversary, Ms. Surrago authored “Empowering People: the Story of National Industries for the Blind,” to chronicle NIB’s history. For NIB’s 50th anniversary, Ms. Surrago led a communications team that generated significant national, regional, and local media for the organization culminating in a Presidential Proclamation, Congressional resolution, Congressional record articles, and a PBS documentary. As a result, NIB received IRIS Awards of Merit from the International Association of Business Communicators for NIB’s communication program and commemorative history. For many years, Ms. Surrago was editor of NIB’s Opportunity magazine.

Ms. Surrago is a life member and past president of the Glen Rock Volunteer Ambulance Corps. She was elected and served three terms on the Borough Council in Glen Rock, New Jersey, in several positions including council president, and chairperson of the divisions of Public Works, Public Safety, Community Affairs, and Building Development and Public Property.

A graduate of Queens College in New York, Ms. Surrago holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Accounting and is a member of the National Association of Parliamentarians.