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LEAD SPONSOR:

THE BEST IN NEW JERSEY, ONCE AGAIN.

TWO TOP 4 HOSPITALS IN NEW JERSEY, INCLUDING THE #1 ADULT AND CHILDREN'S HOSPITALS.

At Hackensack Meridian Health, we’re proud to have two hospitals ranked in New Jersey’s top four, according to U.S. News & World Report 2024-2025. Hackensack University Medical Center is the #1 adult and children’s hospitals in New Jersey, with the best cancer care in the state at John Theurer Cancer Center and top 50 nationally ranked programs in Pulmonology & Lung Surgery, Geriatrics, Cardiology, Heart & Vascular Surgery, Urology, Neurology & Neurosurgery, Diabetes & Endocrinology, and Orthopedics. Jersey Shore University Medical Center is ranked #4 in the state for adult and #1 children’s, with a nationally ranked best-in-state Obstetrics & Gynecology program, and High Performing programs in Orthopedics, Cardiology, Heart & Vascular Surgery, Geriatrics, and Pulmonology & Lung Surgery. And JFK Johnson Rehabilitation Institute has once again been ranked among the nation’s best rehabilitation hospitals. It’s proof that here, no matter what, or when, we’re ready to care for you.

To learn more, visit HackensackMeridianHealth.org/Rankings.

Lead Sponsor of the New Jersey Hall of Fame

We

Congratulations

proudly support allthe deserving

New

Jersey

Hall

NJHOF FOR THEIR OUTSTANDING WORK FOR THE STATE OF NEW JERSEY and

TO THE CLASS OF 2023

INDUCTEES FOR THIS WELL

of Fame 2024 Inductees Especially our good friend, DonKatz

The visionary and creator of Audible

DESERVED RECOGNITION

Kim & Finn Wentworth

Finn and Kim Wentworth

We proudly support and join with them in celebrating The Class of 2024 at the 16th Annual Induction Ceremony

Ray and Patti Chambers

The MCJ Amelior Foundation

October 2024

Hackensack Meridian Health is honored to be the lead sponsor of the New Jersey Hall of Fame. We would like to congratulate all 2024 inductees who continue to represent our great state so well.

Each person has made a remarkable contribution and deserves the recognition of being voted into the Hall. This year’s class showcases the depth and variety of talent in New Jersey, ranging from the founder of Jersey Mike’s, Peter Cancro, to Actress and Academy Award winner, Meryl Streep, former New York Giants Quarterback and Super Bowl MVP, Phil Simms, and Actor Paul Rudd.

October 2024

This year, we have honored a new set of heroes – those in the arts, the greatest minds in business, education and science, world-class athletes, and those who have left their mark through extraordinary public service.

Hackensack Meridian Health is honored to be the lead sponsor of the New Jersey Hall of Fame. We would like to congratulate all 2024 inductees who continue to represent our great state so well. Each person has made a remarkable contribution and deserves the recognition of being voted into the Hall. This year’s class showcases the depth and variety of talent in New Jersey, ranging from the founder of Jersey Mike’s, Peter Cancro, to Actress and Academy Award winner, Meryl Streep, former New York Giants Quarterback and Super Bowl MVP, Phil Simms, and Actor Paul Rudd.

We salute those brilliant minds who are still with us and no longer here but whose contributions and legacy live on, including Elizabeth Coleman While, botanist who developed the nation’s first cultivated blueberry; Lesley Gore, singer-songwriter known for top-chart hits including “You Don’t Own Me” and “It’s My Party”; and Ron Johnson, All-American running back and captain at the University of Michigan and twice earned All-Pro honors wit the New York Giants.

At Hackensack Meridian Health, we continue to support these exceptional honorees who have made a real difference to New Jersey. And we continue to be proud to deliver exceptional healthcare to the communities that we serve.

Congratulations to everyone, and thank you to the New Jersey Hall of Fame for everything you do to honor these great New Jerseyans!

Sincerely,

Congratulations to everyone, and thank you to the New Jersey Hall of Fame for everything you do to honor these great New Jerseyans!

Bob Garrett CEOHackensack Meridian Health

Sincerely,

Congratulations to everyone, and thank you to the New Jersey Hall of Fame for everything you do to

Bob Garrett CEOHackensack Meridian Health

Bob Garrett

CEOHackensack Meridian Health 343 Thornall Street | Edison, NJ 08837 | 848-888-4400 | HackensackMeridianHealth.org

Dear Friends of the New Jersey Hall of Fame,

On behalf of the New Jersey Hall of Fame Board of Trustees, we extend our heartfelt congratulations to the Class of 2024 inductees, including our first-ever Educator of the Year, and this year’s Areté Scholarship recipients and Essay Contest winners.

Since the Hall of Fame’s inception in 2008, our core mission has been to provide everyone with a hero to look up to as they pursue their highest potential, and this year, we’ve made monumental strides toward that goal. From a hometown street dedication honoring Stevie Van Zandt to the reopening of the Jon Bon Jovi service area featuring photos, artifacts, and archived concert footage displayed on the big screen, the New Jersey Hall of Fame is on the cutting edge of synergizing education and entertainment to provide unparalleled inspiration, especially at our new home in East Rutherford.

The New Jersey Hall of Fame at American Dream is a world-class destination celebrating the incredible talent, determination, and grit of the Garden State, and on June 28, 2024, we officially began welcoming guests to experience it for themselves! Boasting state-of-the-art exhibits, including a simulated journey to space on the Fly Me to the Moon exhibit, a holographic karaoke stage, and a Late-Night TV Studio where you can interview inductees such as Danny DeVito, Jason Alexander, Connie Chung, and Gloria Gaynor, the 10,000 square-foot center offers visitors an opportunity to get up-close and personal with their heroes. The New Jersey Hall of Fame at American Dream is the first of its kind in the country to feature these high-tech, interactive exhibits as one of only four state halls of fame! As we prepared the 2024 Induction Ceremony for its televised premiere, it was an honor to welcome many of this year ’s distinguished inductees and presenters to our new permanent home.

Looking ahead to 2025 and beyond, we aim for our greatest potential at The New Jersey Hall of Fame, just as we encourage you to pursue your highest aspirations. Upcoming projects include expanding educational contests, increasing the number of annual Areté Scholarship recipients and NJHOF/NJEA Essay Contest winners, providing sponsored field trip opportunities to underserved districts, encouraging in-school inspiration with guided lesson plans, and highlighting our incredible inductees through Homecoming and Remembrance Days.

On behalf of the entire New Jersey Hall of Fame team, we salute the New Jersey leaders, our generous sponsors and supporters, and you for making our monumental year possible. Thanks to you, the New Jersey Hall of Fame is poised to celebrate Garden State greatness for many years to come.

We look forward to welcoming you to New Jersey Hall of Fame at American Dream in East Rutherford!

Jon F. Hanson Chairman Steve Edwards President

Leo Ehrline Executive Vice President

NEW JERSEY HALL OF FAME

LEADERSHIP

C hairman of the B oard

Jon F. Hanson, Chairman and Founder, The Hampshire Companies

P resident n J hof

Steve Edwards, President, BGIA

C hairman e meritus

John Keegan, President and Chairman of the Charles Edison Fund and Edison Innovation Foundation

C hairman e meritus

Bart Oates, Partner, Avison Young Retired Center, NY Giants

t

rustees

Tony Armlin, Vice President, Triple Five

Tom Bracken, President/CEO, New Jersey State Chamber of Commerce

Fletch Creamer, Jr., Partner, River Bank Management

Terry Frassetto, President, Saddleback Real Estate Developers

Robert C. Garrett, CEO, Hackensack Meridian Health Network

Angelo Genova, Senior Partner, Co-Founder, and Chairman, Genova Burns LLC

Aisha Glover, Head of Urban Innovation, Audible

Ted Knauss, Senior Vice President and Market Leader, NJ, NY, CT –

Commercial Banking, Corporate & Institutional Banking, The PNC Financial Services Group

Calvin Ledford Jr., President, PSEG Foundation Director, Corporate Social Responsibility

Kevin McCabe, President, Carpenter Contractor Trust NY/NJ

David Munshine, President and CEO, The Munshine Group

Peter Simon, Founding Partner, Simon Quick

David Smith, Partner, Princeton Public Affairs Group

Sean Spiller, President, NJEA

Tom Sullivan, CEO, Princeton Partners

Gary Taffet, Division President, Reliance Insurance Group

Finn Wentworth, Entrepreneur and Philanthropist

Former President of YankeeNets, LLC

e xe C utive v i C e P resident

Leo Ehrline

v i C e P resident , o P erations

Tammy Uzzell

v i C e P resident , e xternal C ommuni C ations

Brenda De Santis

NEW JERSEY HALL OF FAME LEADERSHIP

G eneral m ana G er , n J hof at a meri C an d ream

Bryan Blaney

a ssistant G eneral m ana G er , n J hof at a meri C an d ream

Jelena Begonja

d ire C tor , t e C hnolo G y s ervi C es

Robert Franke

d ire C tor , e du C ational P ro G rams

Alexandra Genova

m ana G er , o P erations

Octavia Adams

t e C hnolo G y / av s ervi C es

Perry Simon

NEW JERSEY HALL OF FAME ADVISORY BOARD

R. Thurman Barnes, Director of Policy & External Affairs at NJ Dept. of Community Affairs

Marie Blistan, President, NJEA (retired)

Adam Faiella, Associate, Sills Cummis & Gross P.C.

Steve Gorelick, Executive Director, NJ Motion Picture and Television Commission

Bill Kettleson, RVP Government Affairs at Comcast (retired)

Karen Martin, Executive Producer, Jersey Girls Productions & SH!NE Animation Studios

Michael Rockland, Professor of American Studies, Rutgers University

Carol Ross, Aura Entertainment Group

Daphne Williams Fox, Esq.

WE ARE PROUD TO THANK OUR GENEROUS SPONSORS

l ead s P onsor

Hackensack Meridian Health

m a J or s P onsors

PSEG/PSEG Foundation

The State of New Jersey

f oundin G s P onsors

Acrisure

Al Leiter Foundation Bank of America

Business and Governmental Insurance Agency (BGIA)

Charles Edison Fund and Edison Innovation Foundation

Creamer Family Foundation

The Edwards Family

F.M. Kirby Foundation, Inc.

Genova Burns LLC

Group One, LLC

Hampshire Foundation

Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield of New Jersey

The Munshine Group

NIP Group

New Jersey Education Association (NJEA)

NJM Insurance Group

PNC Financial Services

Prudential Financial Services

RWJBarnabas Health

Russo Development/Russo Family Foundation

S. Dillard and Adrienne Kirby Family Philanthropic Fund (CFNJ)

Saddleback Real Estate Developers

The Taffet Family

Triple Five Group

Kim and Finn Wentworth

WE ARE PROUD TO THANK OUR GENEROUS SPONSORS (CONT.)

2024 i ndu C tion C eremony s P onsors

Acrisure

Audible

Bank of America

Business & Governmental Insurance Agency (BGIA)

Robert Carrigan and Cornelia Sherman (in honor of Don Katz)

C&G Partners

Charles Edison Fund and Edison Innovation Foundation

Creamer Family Foundation

Donna Lawrence Productions

EUE/Screen Gems Ltd.

The Fidelco Group

Genova Burns LLC

Group One, LLC

Hackensack Meridian Health

Hampshire Foundation

Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield of New Jersey

HR&A Advisors, Inc.

Inserra Supermarkets

Jersey Mike’s

Johnson & Johnson

Kovic Int’l. Contractors, Inc

The MCJ Amelior Foundation

The Munshine Group

National Philanthropic Trust, DAF, J.P. Morgan Charitable Giving Fund Program

Newark Alliance, Inc.

New Jersey Education Association (NJEA)

Terry O’Toole

PNC Bank

Princeton Partners

PSEG

Kevin Quinn

Saddleback Real Estate Developers

United Airlines

VNA Health Group

Walsh Company

Kim & Finn Wentworth

William E. Simon Foundation

World Insurance Associates LLC

P e r s o n a l i z e d w e a l t h m a n a g e m e n t f o r t h o s e f o c u s e d

o n t h e i r f a m i l y , t h e i r f u t u r e , a n d t h e i r l e g a c y

S i m o n Q u i c k i s h o n o r e d t o s u p p o r t t h e N e w

J e r s e y H a l l o f F a m e .

T h a n k y o u f o r c e l e b r a t i n g t h e r e m a r k a b l e

s t o r i e s o f i n d i v i d u a l s w h o h a v e f a c e d a n d

o v e r c o m e s i g n i f i c a n t c h a l l e n g e s , o f f e r i n g

l e s s o n s a n d i n s p i r a t i o n f o r u s a l l .

i n f o @ s i m o n q u i c k a d v i s o r s . c o m

9 7 3 . 5 2 5 . 1 0 0 0

NJEA

& its members

proudly congratulate 2024 New Jersey Hall of Fame

Aretê Scholarship Recipients

Rchin Bari & Gabriella Stewart

Student Essay Contest Winners

Lyla DiPalma & Eliana Matera

Pictured above:

Sean M. Spiller, President (center)

Steve Beatty, Vice President (right) Petal Robertson, Secretary-Treasurer (left)

CLASS OF 2024 INDUCTEE ARTS AND LETTERS

GAY TALESE Journalist

Birthdate: February 7, 1932

NJ Town Affiliation: Ocean City

Gay Talese was born on February 7, 1932, in Ocean City, New Jersey, to an Italian immigrant father who was a custom tailor and an Italian-American mother who ran the leading dress shop in their hometown. His early interest in journalism began in high school, where he wrote a news column for The Ocean City Sentinel-Ledger . This passion continued during his time at the University of Alabama, where he served as the campus correspondent for The Birmingham Post-Herald

After graduating in 1953, Talese joined The New York Times as a news assistant. After two years of service as a lieutenant in an armored unit deployed to Germany, he resumed his work at The New York Times , where he spent ten years as a reporter before transitioning to a career as a freelance magazine writer. Talese contributed to renowned publications such as Esquire and The New Yorker , producing more than a dozen books, including four best sellers.

One of his most celebrated pieces, “Frank Sinatra Has a Cold,” was published in Esquire in 1966. He continued to write noteworthy profiles, including an article on Tony Bennett for The New Yorker in 2011. Over his distinguished career, Talese received numerous accolades, including the George Polk Career Award in 2008.

Talese has been married for over sixty years to Nan Talese, a respected book editor. Together, they have two daughters, Pamela, a painter, and Catherine, a photo editor.

CLASS OF 2024 INDUCTEES EDUCATION & SCIENCE

ELIZABETH COLEMAN WHITE

Horticulturist

Birthdate: October 5, 1871

Death Date: November 11, 1954

NJ Town Affiliation: Whitesbog

Elizabeth Coleman White is best known for her work with the wild blueberry, but there was so much more to her than one berry.

Elizabeth was the oldest of four daughters born to Joseph Josiah “J.J.” and Mary Anne “Minnie” White, and was the one most interested in her father’s cranberry farm.

As a child, Elizabeth was a frequent visitor to the cranberry bogs of both her father and grandfather absorbing all the information that she could, most importantly learning how to use ingenuity to grow a successful business while respecting workers.

In 1911 Elizabeth read a copy of a report written by scientist Dr. Frederick Coville who was conducting experiments on wild blueberry plants to see if they could be successfully cultivated. Elizabeth had taken an interest in the wild blueberry, which grew alongside the cranberry bogs, thinking perhaps it too could make the transition from wild plant to commercial crop. However, Elizabeth was uncertain what the plant needed in order to thrive and Coville had hit his own roadblock, lacking the space to expand his experiments. Each had something that the other needed, and they started working together in late 1911. With the help of local pickers they acquired the wild plants used to create the cultivated highbush blueberry, and after nearly five years of work introduced their first crop to the market in 1916.

Work continued on the blueberry throughout the 1920s and into the 30s, however by the late 1930s the blueberry was not the experimental work/play space that it had been, and Elizabeth went looking for a new project. She noticed that the American Holly was dwindling in the wild due to overuse, and began corresponding with Wilfred Wheeler who noticed the same thing in Cape Cod. They started working together in 1938, mailing cuttings back and forth, and even going on holly finding road trips, creating a stock of individual trees that would help to bring the American Holly back. Elizabeth started her own business in 1950, at the age 79, called Holly Haven Inc., which sold hollies, blueberries, and other acidic soil loving plants, to include the then, and still, extinct in the wild, franklinia, shipping their offerings nationwide.

Elizabeth Coleman White was a New Jersey farm girl, horticulturist, businesswoman, first woman member of the American Cranberry Association, and first woman to receive a citation from the New Jersey Department of Agriculture. She loved the New Jersey Pinelands, gave us the cultivated blueberry, was committed to the conservation of native plants, and dedicated to the welfare of her workers. Elizabeth left an enduring legacy that is still felt today, and will be for years to come.

DR. JOHN FORBES NASH JR.

Mathematician

Birthdate: June 13, 1928

Death Date: May 23, 2015

NJ Town Affiliation: Princeton

John Forbes Nash Jr. was born on June 13, 1928 in Bluefield, West Virginia. He attended Carnegie Mellon University on a scholarship, graduating in 1948 with an M.S. in mathematics. That same year, Nash accepted a fellowship to pursue graduate studies at Princeton University, beginning his nearly 70 years of association with Princeton. A letter written in support of his application said simply, “This man is a genius.”

After receiving his doctorate in 1950, Dr. Nash worked as a consultant to the RAND Corporation and in 1952 as an instructor at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). It was there he met Eleanor Stier and had a son, John David Stier, in June 1953. In 1957, he would marry Alicia Larde.

Dr. Nash, widely regarded as one of the great mathematicians of the 20th century, was known for the originality of his thinking and for attacking problems no one else could solve. It was in 1978 that his discovery of non-cooperative equilibria was first recognized with the John von Neumann Theory Prize, but not until 1994 that he shared the Nobel Memorial Prize in Economic Sciences for this game theory. One economist compared the impact of this theory on economics “to that of the discovery of the DNA double helix in the biological sciences.” He won the Leroy P. Steele Prize in 1999. All of this recognition was for work he had done in the early 1950s as a Princeton graduate student. During the three decades of illness that had followed, his ideas became pervasive in economics and the social sciences, and were applied in other fields, including biology.

His doctoral thesis, “Non-Cooperative Games,” appeared in September 1951 in the journal Annals of Mathematics. The “Nash equilibria” provided a powerful mathematical tool for analyzing wide ranging competitive situations. However, many mathematicians view Dr. Nash’s contributions to pure mathematics as more significant than his Nobel-winning work on game theory, particularly an intractable problem in differential geometry derived from the work of the 19th century mathematician G.F.B. Riemann that he solved.

Recognition also included several honorary doctoral degrees including from Carnegie Mellon University (1999), University of Naples Federico II (2003), University of Charleston (2003), West Virginia University Tech (2006), University of Antwerp (2007) and City University of Hong Kong (2011). Nash was elected to the American Philosophical Society in 2006 and became a fellow of the American Mathematical Society in 2012.

Due to Dr. Nash’s schizophrenia that became severe in 1959, decades passed between the release of his work and its recognition. In April 1959, with his wife pregnant with his second son (John Charles Martin Nash would be born in May), Nash was first hospitalized while experiencing paranoia and delusion. Many hospitalizations would follow. Upon his release, he left MIT, went to Europe, and returned that summer to West Windsor, NJ where he would live most of his remaining years with his wife. Although divorced in 1963, Alicia took John into her home in 1970 upon his final hospital discharge. Alicia and John remarried in 2001.

Nash said he learned to consciously discard his paranoia and delusions, having simply decided to return to rationality. Princeton allowed him to audit classes and he eventually began teaching again. In 1998, a compelling but unauthorized and not entirely factually correct biography of Nash’s life, “A Beautiful Mind”, was published by Sylvia Nasar. The film of the same name, released in 2001, took further artistic license with the biographical facts. However, the accurate portrayal of schizophrenia helped the public to better understand and de-stigmatize the illness, a cause to which Dr. Nash and his wife Alica dedicated much time and energy.

On May 23, 2015, while returning home from the airport after having been in Norway to receive the Abel Prize, he and his wife died in a tragic car crash. He was 86.

AVI WIGDERSON

Computer Scientist / Mathematician

Birthdate: September 9, 1956

NJ Town Affiliation: Princeton

When Avi Wigderson began his academic career in the late 1970s, the theory of ‘computational complexity’ – which concerns itself with the speed and efficiency of algorithms – was in its infancy. Avi’s contribution to enlarging and deepening the field is arguably greater than that of any single other person, and what was a young subject is now an established field of both mathematics and theoretical computer science. Computational complexity has also become unexpectedly important, providing the theoretical basis for internet security.

Born in Haifa, Israel, in 1956, Avi entered the Technion, the Israeli Institute of Technology, in 1977, and graduated with a B.Sc. in Computer Science in 1980. He moved to Princeton for his graduate studies, receiving his PhD in 1983 for the thesis Studies in Combinatorial Complexity.

In the 1970s, computer theoreticians framed certain fundamental ideas about the nature of computation, notably the notions of P and NP. P is the set of problems that computers can solve easily, say, in a few seconds, whereas NP also contains problems that computers find hard to solve, meaning that the known methods can only find the answer in, say, millions of years. The question of whether all these hard problems can be reduced to easy ones, that is, whether or not P = NP, is the foundational question of computational complexity. Indeed, it is now considered one of the most important unsolved questions in all of mathematics.

Wigderson made stunning advances in this area by investigating the role of randomness in aiding computation. Some hard problems can be made easy using algorithms in which the computer flips coins during the computation. If an algorithm relies on coin-flipping, however, there is always a chance that an error can creep into the solution. Wigderson, first together with Noam Nisan, and later with Russell Impagliazzo, showed that for any fast algorithm that can solve a hard problem using coin-flipping, there exists an almost-as-fast algorithm that does not use coin-flipping, provided certain conditions are met.

Avi has conducted research into every major open problem in complexity theory. In many ways, the field has grown around him, not only because of his breadth of interests, but also because of his approachable personality and enthusiasm for collaborations. He has co- authored papers with well over 100 people, and has mentored a large number of young complexity theorists. “I consider myself unbelievably lucky to live in this age,” he says. “[Computational complexity] is a young field. It is a very democratic field. It is a very friendly field, it is a field that is very collaborative, that suits my nature. And definitely, it is bursting with intellectual problems and challenges.”

In 1999 Avi joined the Institute for Advanced Study and founded the Computer Science and Discrete Mathematics Program. Avi is known for his ability to see links between apparently unrelated areas. He has deepened the connections between mathematics and computer science. One example is the ‘zig- zag graph product’, which he developed with Omer Reingold and Salil Vadhan, which links group theory, graph theory and complexity theory, and has surprising applications such as how best to get out of a maze.

Wigderson has won many prizes including the Nevanlinna, Conant, Gödel, Knuth, and Abel Prize. Avi was honored with the 2023 A.M. Turing Award, considered to be the “Noble Prize of Computing”.

Avi Wigderson is married to Edna, whom he met at the Technion. They have three children, and two grandchildren.

Photo Credit: Peter Badge

CLASS OF 2024 INDUCTEES ENTERPRISE

GEORGE K. COONEY

Chairman Emeritus of EUE/Screen Gems Ltd.

Birthdate: February 12, 1934

NJ Town Affiliation: Bogota

George Cooney is the Chairman Emeritus of EUE/Screen Gems Ltd. Mr. Cooney is an innovator with a career that includes milestones such as leading talented creative teams that directed and produced Clio-award-winning Coke, Volkswagen, Alka Seltzer campaigns and facility operation for day-time dramas. He is wellrespected for his foresight and ability to anticipate new trends in order to adapt to the fluid and evolving entertainment industry. After more than 50 years as an industry leader, his focus is now TV and Film facility development and ownership.

Mr. Cooney acquired EUE/Screen Gems and its assets, a division of Columbia Pictures, in 1983. Prior to acquiring the company, he served as Executive Vice President and General Manager of Columbia’s EUE/Screen Gems division. He joined Columbia Pictures in 1965 and served in a number of administrative positions before being named the Executive Vice President of the EUE/Screen Gems division in 1972. And when that segment of the industry began to disappear in the 90s, Mr. Cooney seized the opportunity to become a production facility owner supplying infrastructure and crew for a client base that included Warner Brothers, Paramount, Sony, Disney and more that needed to expand beyond studio facilities in California, which at the time was running out of production space. His vision to expand outside of Los Angeles led to the purchase of the De Laurentiis studio lot in Wilmington, NC. What followed was the building of multiple large, state-of-the-art sound stages.

That success was followed by another bold vision to expand the footprint of EUE/Screen Gems to Atlanta, GA. Mr. Cooney acquired a sprawling studio complex of 50 acres complete with beautiful Spanish mission style buildings and expanded the lot by building four new large sound stages to attract bigger projects. EUE/Screen Gems was among the first major sound stage facilities to set up shop in Atlanta.

Mr. Cooney is active in the community. For 35 years, He’s served as Vice-Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the New York Medical College, Chairman at St. Theresa’s and a Trustee of the Dr. I Fund Foundation. He is a member of the Finance Council of the Archdiocese of New York. Mr. Cooney is also a member of the executive committee of the board of Terence Cardinal Cooke Health Care Center for 25 years and has served as its Chairman for 15 years. Mr. Cooney was active in the Archdiocese initiatives to help solve the AIDS crisis while serving as Chairman of Terence Cardinal Cooke Health Care Center. The AIDS facility was the site of New York’s first comprehensive-care ward for AIDS patients.

A graduate of Fordham University, Mr. Cooney is a recipient of an Honorary Degree from the New York Medical College and the Helen Hayes Humanitarian Award from St. Clare’s Hospital.

Mr. Cooney received the William Cullen Bryant Award from New York Medical College for his visionary leadership qualities. Mr. Cooney continues to oversee multiple businesses and projects under the EUE/Screen Gems umbrella and enjoys mentoring his eight grown grandchildren.

PETER CANCRO

Founder / CEO of Jersey Mike’s Franchise Systems, Inc.

Birthdate: May 13, 1957

NJ Town Affiliation: Point Pleasant Beach

Peter Cancro is the Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Jersey Mike’s Franchise Systems, Inc., a fast-casual sub sandwich franchise, with more than 3,000 locations open and in development and over $4 billion in systemwide sales.

Peter, a ’75 graduate of Point Pleasant Beach High School where he was captain of the football team and class president, began his business career in 1971 where his first job was at a place called Mike’s Subs. In 1975, at the age of 17, in March of his senior year in high school, he gave up a potential college football career to buy that sub shop. Peter credits Rod Smith, his youth football coach and area banker, with making it all possible.

In 1987, he changed the name of the original Mike’s to “Jersey Mike’s” and began his national expansion. Today, Jersey Mike’s ranks #2 on Entrepreneur’s 2024 Franchise 500, the company’s sixth year on the Franchise 500 top 10 list.

One of the secrets to Peter’s success is his philosophy of “giving.” Charities, hospitals, school systems and numerous individuals have benefited from his support, more than ever will be known. It’s a philosophy that he has emphasized to each and every Jersey Mike’s franchise owner: support the community that supports you.

An example of this giving spirit is Jersey Mike’s Annual “Month of Giving” in March. Jersey Mike’s national fundraiser culminates on “Day of Giving,” the last Wednesday of March, when Jersey Mike’s franchise owners donate 100 percent of the day’s sales — not just profit — to local charities across the country. Since Month of Giving began in 2011, Jersey Mike’s has raised more than $88 million for local charities.

Peter has received numerous awards recognizing his vision and commitment to giving. He made the Nation’s Restaurant News Power List in both 2021 and 2017. He was named #1 Most Admired Fast-casual Leader in QSR’s 2019 Reader’s Choice Awards as well as the International Franchise Association’s “Entrepreneur of the Year” and a Golden Chain Award Winner by Nation’s Restaurant News in 2013.

DON KATZ Founder of Audible

Birthdate: January 30, 1952

NJ Town Affiliation: Newark

Don Katz is the founder of Audible, the leading creator and provider of premium audio storytelling that currently delivers 4 billion hours of audiobooks and Audible Original programs to listeners in 180 countries, in 47 languages. Audible’s catalog has grown from 3,000 titles in 1999, when Audible went public on NASDAQ, to more than 900,000 today. Audible listeners download an average of twenty audiobooks per year, confirming Don’s originating belief that Audible would become a daily habit. That habituation in turn created one of the highestgrowth and most profitable business models in media history.

Audible commercialized the first digital audio device in 1997, four years before the introduction of the iPod. Early on, Audible created and marketed two Audible Originals – one a weekly program hosted by Robin Williams – five years before the term “podcast” entered the lexicon. More than 600,000 actors, writers, directors, and producers have worked directly with Audible over the past five years, creating to the intimate “Audible aesthetic” that Don imagined and described from the company’s founding.

Since 2007, when Don directed Audible’s relocation of its global headquarters to Newark, New Jersey, programmatic social and economic innovations focused on “scalable, replicable, and transferable” efforts to redress urban equality have defined Audible’s public impact purposes. Audible programs spawned under Don’s leadership include Newark Venture Partners, which Don founded to plant “little Audibles” to advance Newark’s comeback story; the Audible Scholars internship program; the COVID food crisis response effort Newark Working Kitchens; and Live Local, which subsidizes Audible employees moving to Newark.

In 2008, Audible became an independent subsidiary of Amazon, retaining its own brand, business model, culture, and Don-authored People Principles.

Recognized as one of America’s Top 25 Disruptive Leaders by Living Cities for his work on behalf of urban transformation, Don was named New Jersey’s most influential tech leader by ROI-NJ in 2021. He was the recipient of a Tribeca Disruptive Innovation Award in 2013. For his leadership and founding vision for Audible, he was honored by both PEN America and Gotham Film & Media Institute in 2022. He recently received the 2024 Distinguished Alumni Award from New York University.

Before founding Audible in 1995, Don was a journalist and author for 20 years, writing five books and serving as contributing editor at Rolling Stone, Outside, Esquire , and other publications. His work won an Overseas Press Club award and a National Magazine Award, and his book Home Fires was a National Book Critics Circle Award finalist. His two books about businesses, The Big Store: Inside the Crisis and Revolution at Sears (winner of The Heartland Prize for Non-Fiction) and Just Do It: The Nike Spirit in the Corporate World – were both New York Times best-sellers.

Don has served as the founding board member of Uncommon Schools and is on the board of the New America Foundation. Don graduated from New York University, where he studied with novelist Ralph Ellison. He also holds an MSc Econ from the London School of Economics and Political Science.

CLASS OF 2024 INDUCTEES

PERFORMING ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

LESLEY GORE

Singer / Songwriter / Actor

Birthdate: May 2, 1946

Death Date: February 16, 2015

NJ Town Affiliation: Tenafly

Lesley Gore emerged at age 16 as a voice for teenage heartbreak, but it didn’t take long for her message to mature into one of resilience and female empowerment.

Born Lesley Sue Goldstein, the future star was raised in Tenafly, New Jersey and attended the Dwight School for Girls, a prep school in neighboring Englewood. Her father, Leo, was a successful women’s swimwear manufacturer; her mother, Ronny, a homemaker. The family changed its name to Gore soon after Lesley’s birth.

Gore was a junior in high school when demo recordings she made with her vocal coach came to the attention of producer Quincy Jones, who at the time was responsible for signing talent to Mercury Records. The label rush-released Gore’s recording of “It’s My Party” in an effort to beat a competing version of the song to radio. The strategy worked and the single hit No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 pop chart on June 1, 1963 — four weeks after Gore’s 17th birthday.

“It’s My Party”-- about a girl whose birthday bash goes wrong when she sees her fickle boyfriend with another girl — became an instant classic. The success of the song -- one of four she recorded in her first session with Jones -- was a total surprise to Gore. “I left the studio and forgot about the whole thing,” she told TV host Dick Clark, according to “The Billboard Book of Number One Hits.” Gore next cut a sequel, “Judy’s Turn to Cry,” in which the protagonist turns the tables on her rival. The song went to No. 5 that July. In September, she reached No. 5 again with “She’s a Fool,” capturing still more teen angst. But by December, Gore changed her tone with the indelibly defiant “You Don’t Own Me,” an anthemic pop classic that climbed to No. 2 on the singles chart and has endured for over 60 years as a feminist anthem.

Gore’s success continued with hits including “That’s The Way Boys Are,” “Sunshine, Lollipops and Rainbows,” “Maybe I Know,” “The Look of Love”, and “California Nights” – assuring her a place in pop’s pantheon.

Even as Lesley was making hit records, she continued her education, earning a degree in English and American literature at Sarah Lawrence College. Continuing to record and perform as a singer and actress, she even landed a recurring role in TV’s “Batman” series as Pink Pussycat in 1967. More importantly, she began to write her own songs and earned an Oscar nomination for “Out Here on My Own,” which she penned with her composer brother, Michael Gore, for the 1980 hit movie,“Fame.”

Thanks to her early hits, Gore toured worldwide for decades. Her acting career took her to Broadway, where she guest starred in the musical revue “Smokey Joe’s Café.” On TV, she hosted several episodes of “In the Life,” a PBS series that focused on LGBTQ issues. In 2005, she came out publicly as gay. Her candor became part of her legacy as an icon of female selfdetermination.

WARREN LITTLEFIELD

Television Producer

Birthdate: May 11, 1952

NJ Town Affiliation: Montclair

Warren Littlefield was born on May 11th, 1952 in Montclair, NJ at Mountainside Hospital. It was an incredible place to grow upwith economic, cultural, and racial diversity. It’s still a poster city of that today.

He grew up in a house with his mother, father, sister, and two grandmothers. There wasn’t a lot of money, but there was love. So at fourteen, Warren got his first job.

During his high school years, he worked at a plastics factory in Wayne on the maintenance crew and shoveling coal. No masks! His early years were not just work. He also loved TV and, at his mother’s urging, he joined the Jr. Wing of The Montclair Dramatic Club. That would change his life. While he had leading roles in a number of their theatre productions, looking back, he doesn’t think he was a very good actor. But the infectious quality of the world of entertainment was now in his heart.

In his college years, he was a teamster truck driver working in the tri-state area. The summer of the Watergate hearings he sat in bars in Paterson with his fellow teamsters feeling like they were watching history being made.

After graduating from Hobart and William Smith College with a degree in Psychology (It was the 70’s!) The entertainment world signaled an opportunity: Charlie Mortimer, who had run the Jr. Wing drama program in Montclair, was making a pilot. Did he want to be a gofer? He did.

After four years there, while living in a raucous group house in Montclair and getting his first producer credit, Los Angeles beckoned.

In December of ‘79, Warren went to work at NBC as a manager in comedy development. His 20 years there were marked by an incredible education by the masters of television like Fred Silverman, Brandon Tartikoff & Grant Tinker.

In the 80’s, the network went from irrelevance to dominance with shows like Cheers, Hill Street Blues, St. Elsewhere, The Cosby Show, and The Golden Girls

In the 90’s, when the baton was passed to Warren, he architected “Must See TV”. As President of the Entertainment Division, they orchestrated a return to first place in the ratings race, led by a long roster of hit series. They included: Seinfeld, ER, Friends, and Frasier . In his final year at NBC, he supervised the development of Will & Grace and The West Wing .

After 20 years, Warren exited NBC and began his chapter two.

It was a struggle to not be sitting on the network throne, but eventually his future emerged when Warren convinced Noah Hawley to adapt the legendary Coen Brothers’ feature Fargo for FX. Since then, The Littlefield Company has garnered a total 162 Emmy® nominations and 23 Emmy wins, alongside multiple Peabody Awards, PGAs, Golden Globes® and more. The successes include The Handmaid’s Tale, Fargo, Dopesick , and The Old Man .

He’s been married for more than 40 years and has 2 children. He lives in Los Angeles.

Photo Credit: Michael Becker/FX

PAUL RUDD

Actor / Writer / Producer

Birthdate: April 6, 1969

NJ Town Affiliation: Passaic

For nearly 30 years, Paul Rudd has been entertaining audiences as an actor of stage and screen. Born in Passaic, he lived in Palisades Park as a kid. Because of his father’s airline job at TWA, Paul moved several times, eventually spending his teenage years in Kansas City. After graduating high school, he studied theater at the University of Kansas. He is also a graduate of The American Academy of Dramatic Arts as well as the British Drama Academy at Oxford University.

Rudd made his small screen debut in 1992 with the television drama Sisters. But it was in 1995, with the comedy film Clueless , that was his breakout performance.

Some of his other well-known credits include Wet Hot American Summer, The Cider House Rules, Romeo + Juliet, Anchorman, The 40-Year-Old Virgin, Knocked Up, I Love You, Man, The Perks of Being a Wallflower, Role Models, Ghostbusters: Afterlife & Frozen Empire . In 2015, he appeared as the lead Scott Lang in Ant-Man . Rudd reprised this role in Captain America: Civil War, Ant-Man and the Wasp, Avengers: Endgame, and Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania.

Rudd currently stars in two A24 films – Andrew DeYoung’s comedy, Friendship , alongside Tim Robinson and Kate Mara which premiered to critical acclaim at the 2024 Toronto Film Festival and Alex Scharfman’s Death of a Unicorn , opposite Jenna Ortega. He has also completed production on John Carney’s musical comedy, Power Ballad , where he will star opposite Nick Jonas. And will next begin production on Sony Pictures’ Anaconda , opposite Jack Black later this year.

In 2004, Rudd had a recurring role on the popular sitcom Friends . In 2012, Rudd signed to appear on four episodes of NBC’s Parks and Recreation . He most recently starred in the third season of Only Murders In The Building alongside Meryl Streep, Martin Short, Steve Martin, and Selena Gomez.

He has also has originated multiple roles in Broadway plays, the first being The Last Night of Ballyhoo . The following year, he appeared in Twelfth Night at Lincoln Center . In 2000, he played the role of Jamie in London’s West End production of Long Days Journey Into Night followed by the Almeida Theaters’s production of Neil Labute’s The Shape of Things . In 2006, he once again appeared on Broadway with Julia Roberts in Three Days of Rain . In 2012, Rudd appeared in the original Broadway production of Grace with Michael Shannon.

Since 2014, Rudd and fellow actor Jeffrey Dean Morgan have been co-owners of Samuel’s Sweet Shop, a candy store in the town of Rhinebeck, New York. Rudd is also the co-founder of Big Slick, a charity event that raises money for Children’s Mercy Hospital in Kansas City to advance the goal of eradicating pediatric cancer. 2024 marks the 15th year and they have raised over $21 million since its launch. Additionally, Rudd is an avid supporter and trustee for S.A.Y. (Stuttering Association for the Young), which aims to provide vital and transformative programs for young people who stutter.

Rudd has been married to his wife Julie for over twenty years and they have two children.

Photo Credit: Justin Bishop

KEVIN SMITH

Filmmaker / Actor / Comedian / Comic Book Writer

Author / YouTuber / Podcaster

Birthdate: August 2, 1970

NJ Town Affiliation: Highlands

Kevin Smith is a New Jersey born filmmaker, actor, comedian, comic book writer, author, and podcaster. He came to prominence with the low-budget independent film classic Clerks (1994), which he wrote, directed, produced, and acted in. Clerks won the “Prix de la Jeunesse” and the International Critics Week top prize at the 1994 Cannes Film Festival as well as the “Filmmakers Trophy” at the Sundance Film Festival, and was chosen by the Library of Congress for inclusion on the prestigious National Film Registry in 2019.

Smith followed Clerks with Mallrats (1995), Chasing Amy (1997), Dogma (1999), Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back (2001), Clerks II (2006), Jay and Silent Bob Reboot (2019), and Clerks III (2022) - all of which are set primarily in New Jersey. While not strictly sequential, most of Smith’s flicks take place in the “View Askewniverse” (named after Smith’s Red Bank based production company View Askew Productions) where the stories are connected by a shared canon as well as the crossover characters of Jay and Silent Bob - cinematic stoners played by Smith’s longtime friend and business partner Jason Mewes and Smith himself.

Beyond the Askewniverse, Smith has also directed Jersey Girl (2004), Cop Out (2010) Red State (2011), Tusk (2014), Yoga Hosers (2016), Killroy Was Here (2022), and The 4:30 Movie (2024), which was shot at Smodcastle Cinemas in Atlantic Highlands, NJ - the same movie theater he haunted every weekend when he was a teenager, which he now co-owns.

In TV and streaming. Smith executive produced Masters of the Universe: Revelation (2021) and Masters of the Universe: Revolution (2024) for Netflix, as well as AMC’s Comic Book Men (2012 —2018), the reality show shot at Jay and Silent Bob’s Secret Stash in Red Bank, NJ - the 28 year old comic book store Smith co-owns with Jason Mewes.

A podcaster since 2007, Smith built the SModcast Podcast Network and populated it with shows like SModcast, Tell ‘Em, Steve-Dave, Plus One, Edumacation , and the live shows Jay and Silent Bob Get Old, Fatman Beyond , and Hollywood Babble-On - which have toured the world.

Smith has authored several books, including Tough Sh*t and Batman: The Widening Gyre - both designated as New York Times Best Sellers. An ardent comic book fan, Smith has written the award-winning Daredevil: Guardian Devil and Spider-Man/Black Cat: The Evil That Men Do for Marvel Comics and Green Arrow: Quiver and Batman: Cacophony for DC Comics . Smith has his own imprint at Dark Horse Comics called Secret Stash Press, where he publishes the vigilante epic Maskerade and the Askewniverse anthology Quick Stops, which tells tales featuring familiar faces from Smith’s films.

Smith married journalist Jennifer Schwalbach in 1999. Later that year, their daughter Harley Quinn was born at the same Red Bank, NJ hospital where her Dad entered the world. The two co-host a podcast for iHeart.

Long a loyal apostle of and a troubadour for the Garden State, Smith firmly believes deeply in his Widow-Maker-surviving heart that the only issue that has ever divided New Jersey can be squashed right now with a simple declaration: It’s “Pork Roll” - not “Taylor Ham”.

MERYL STREEP

Actress

Birthdate: June 22, 1949

NJ Town Affiliation: Basking Ridge and Bernardsville

For 50 years, Meryl Streep has brought a vivid array of characters to life in a career that has cut its own unique path from the theater through film and television. Educated in the New Jersey public school system through high school, Ms. Streep graduated cum laude from Vassar College, and received her MFA with honors from Yale University. She began her professional life on the New York stage, where she quickly established her signature versatility and verve as an actor.

Within three years of graduation, she received a Tony nomination on Broadway, won an Emmy for “ Holocaust ” and received her first Academy Award nomination for “ The Deer Hunter .” She has since won innumerable critics prizes and awards, including a record-breaking 21 Oscar nominations. She has taken home 3 Oscars, and in an unsurpassed record of 33 Golden Globe nominations, won 8 Globes.

She is most recently featured in Seasons 3 and 4 of Hulu’s hit series “ Only Murders in the Building. ” Just before that, starred in the first episode of the television series “ Extrapolations ” on Apple TV, an eight-part series exploring the human stories circling the effects of climate change in the near future, and in a humorous take on the same subject, Adam McKay’s “ Don’t Look Up ” for Netflix.

Ms. Streep has pursued her interest in protecting the environment through her work with Mothers and Others, a consumer advocacy group that she co-founded in 1989 under the aegis of the Natural Resourced Defense Council. Mothers and Others worked for ten years to promote and educate consumers about sustainable agriculture, at a time when organic and sustainably grown foods were not available across the U.S. Their work helped to establish new pesticide regulations nationwide, and to enable widespread availability of food with low chemical inputs by ensuring growers would have markets for this produce.

Over the years since then she has supported the work of many and varied non-profit organizations in the areas of the environment/climate change, human rights, and social justice, including NRDC, Women for Women International, Equality Now, The Women’s History Museum, The Clooney Foundation for Justice, the Committee to Protect Journalists, Partners in Health, and the Innocence Project.

She is a member of the American Academy of Arts and Letters, and has been accorded a Commandeur de L’Ordre des Arts et des Lettres by the French Government. She has been awarded an Honorary Cesar by the French Academy, and Honorary Palme D’Or from the Cannes Film Festival, and career achievement awards from the Berlin, San Sebastian, Toronto, Moscow, Telluride and Shanghai film festivals.

In 2008, she received a Lifetime Achievement Award from the American Film Institute, and the 2010 National Medal of Arts from President Obama. In 2011, Ms. Streep was accorded a Kennedy Center Honor, and in 2014 The Presidential Medal of Freedom.

She and Don Gummer are parents of four children and grandparents of five.

Photo Credit: Brigitte Lacombe

CLASS OF 2024 INDUCTEES PUBLIC SERVICE

REV. EDWIN D. LEAHY, O.S.B.

Benedictine Monk / Catholic Priest / Headmaster of St. Benedict’s Preparatory School

Birthdate: December 2, 1945

NJ Town Affiliation: Newark

No one has impacted generations upon generations of young people from in and around Newark, New Jersey, like Rev. Edwin Leahy, O.S.B., the indefatigable Headmaster of St. Benedict’s Preparatory School. Known to students, alumni and communities across the state as Fr. Ed, the outspoken Benedictine monk and Catholic priest has led St. Benedict’s since its reimagining in December 1972.

Fr. Ed was among the small community of Monks who remained at Newark Abbey when the venerated all-boys Catholic school, established in 1868, closed in June 1972 – five years after massive social unrest of 1967 devastated Newark. By July 2, 1973, a new educational venture opened its doors, with Fr. Ed at the helm. Students went to school in the summer. The curriculum was hands-on; daily Convocation was held to foster community and connection. This new school, enrolling mostly Black students, was not called St. Benedict’s Prep – until the Black father of a student asked, “Why not?” That challenge sparked the true resurrection of Benedict’s: a prep school serving students representing the diverse racial, socioeconomic and faith backgrounds of the city. Citing the wisdom of Bill W. of Alcoholics Anonymous, Fr. Ed said, “We took the cotton out of our ears, put it in our mouths and listened to what the community needed. Once we did that, the people of this city taught us how we could best accompany them.”

Leading by listening drove the growth of St. Benedict’s. Today, the school serves nearly 1,000 students in K-12, offering Elementary, Middle and single-sex Boys and Girls Prep Divisions. Its emphasis on community, student leadership, mental wellness and experiential education has propelled St. Benedict’s into a national model of education featured on “60 Minutes.” St. Benedict’s graduates, many of whom are first-generation college students, complete academic degrees at significantly higher rates than the national average, and alumni have forged thriving careers in medicine, law, business, technology, education, media, and entertainment. Schools throughout the U.S. now work to adapt the Benedict’s model into their own schools through the Fr. Mark Payne Institute.

Fr. Ed’s greatest source of pride, however, is when alumni — many of whom grew up with absent fathers — introduce him to their own children. “Many of our kids couldn’t introduce me to their fathers when they were students. When I meet the children of Gray Bees, that’s the real benchmark of success.”

A lifelong resident of New Jersey, Fr. Ed graduated from St. Benedict’s in 1963. Notably, he was denied admission to the school when he first applied in 1959, which is how he became a big proponent of second chances. A graduate of Seton Hall University and the Woodstock College at Union, he holds honorary doctorates from Rutgers University, Saint Peter’s University, New Jersey Institute of Technology and St. John’s University, Minnesota. Fr. Ed is the recipient of the first Robert F. Kennedy Award for Urban School Leadership from the National Schools that Can organization.

GERALDINE LIVINGSTON THOMPSON

Social Reform Pioneer

Birthdate: March 2, 1872

Death Date: September 9, 1967

NJ Town Affiliation: Red Bank

Geraldine L. Thompson was a descendant of the prominent Livingston family. She was raised in New York during the Gilded Age. After surviving tuberculosis in her twenties, she married a wealthy sportsman, Lewis S. Thompson. The couple moved to the famous horse farm, Brookdale Farm.

Geraldine Thompson became the most influential woman in New Jersey history. Her accomplishments in public health, prison reform, child welfare, politics and philanthropy place her among the greatest women of her generation.

Often described as a cyclone, she became known for her relentless advocacy to protect the helpless and for fearlessly compelling officials to serve and protect the community.

Her career began in New Jersey politics and public health in 1910 when she funded a survey to study the impact of the New Jersey Poor Laws on Monmouth County. The report concluded that there was “the failure of public spirit and philanthropic enterprise in the county.” This prompted her to reform the system for providing public health and welfare services. The report detailed the terrible conditions of children and the elderly including the prevalence of poor housing and disease. The report concluded that “Disheartened groups...were ready to welcome some form of organization which promised better things.”

This prompted Thompson to found a Monmouth County branch of the state charity organization to bring “better things” to vulnerable residents in 1912. Almost immediately, the Monmouth County Branch became “its most active and successful chapter” and a model for other public health care organizations around the country. Thompson earned a national reputation as a reform leader and served as the group’s president for nearly 40 years. One of the largest volunteer public health nursing agencies in the United States, the VNA Health Group still provides care to over 60,000 New Jersey families every year.

A powerful woman in New Jersey politics, Geraldine L. Thompson did more than anyone to create public institutions and agencies in New Jersey history. Without her determined leadership, the institutional structure of New Jersey would have remained insufficient to provide needed services to its citizens. Thompson urged Governor Walter E. Edge to create the State Board of Control of Institutions and Agencies in 1918. Thompson’s idea for the Board of Control was to appoint unpaid volunteers to provide oversight over the various state institutions. She was the first woman appointed to a state board and served from 1918 until her retirement in 1957.

She also left her mark as a philanthropist and environmental conservationist. She donated over 200 acres of her farm to the Monmouth County Park System to create Thompson Park in Lincroft, New Jersey. She also was instrumental in the acquisition of the land for Island Beach State Park, the last unspoiled stretch of beach along the Atlantic coast, when private developers were poised to build on it. She also donated land along the Hudson River to establish Margaret and Lewis Norrie State Park.

Thompson died on September 9, 1967, at the age of 95.

CLASS OF 2024 INDUCTEES SPORTS

DICK BUTTON

Figure Skater/ TV Producer / Entrepreneur

Birthdate: July 18, 1929

NJ Town Affiliation: Englewood

There is no one more synonymous with figure skating, on and off the ice, than Dick Button.

His remarkable life included skating competitively for 20 years, becoming a television broadcaster for 50 years, and serving as a TV producer and entrepreneur.

Raised in Englewood, New Jersey, he began skating at age 12. Four years later, he took the podium as the United States figure skating champion.

Onto the Olympics as the two-time men’s individual gold medalist and then five consecutive world championships, he claimed back-to-back gold medals at the St. Moritz 1948 Olympic Winter Games and Oslo 1952 Olympic Winter Games.

He was an athletic pioneer landing the first ever Double Axel, Triple Loop and the Flying Camel Spin known as “The Button Camel”. To add to Button’s “firsts”, he was the first and only American to win gold at the European Championships and was the first athlete, in figure skating, to win the prestigious Sullivan Award. Dick is also the first American male figure skater to win 5 world titles (from 1948 through 1952 along with 7 U.S. National Championships (from 1947 through 1953).

He did all this while attending Harvard and later graduating in 1956 from Harvard Law and was admitted to the bar in Washington, D.C.

But it was in television where he became a true national icon, covering 10 Olympics for CBS, ABC and NBC Sports for five decades.

He won an Emmy Award in 1981 for Outstanding Sports Personality – Analyst. The epitome of the Jersey grit and determination with style and flair.

TIM HOWARD

American Soccer Player

Birthdate: March 6, 1979

NJ Town Affiliation: North Brunswick

Timothy Matthew Howard was born in North Brunswick, New Jersey, on March 6th, 1979. Growing up in a diverse and vibrant community, he was introduced to soccer at a young age. Tim was diagnosed with Tourette Syndrome when he was 9 years old and playing sports was always his favorite outlet. He started as a recreational player in North Brunswick and became a goalkeeper against his wishes, according to his mother Esther. Tim Mulqueen conducted weekly clinics at St. Joseph High School in Metuchen, N.J., when Esther took her 12-year-old son there for training. Tim’s natural talent and dedication shone through as he played for local youth teams and caught the eye of scouts. His standout performances attracted the attention of Major League Soccer (MLS), and in 1998, he was drafted by the MetroStars (now known as New York Red Bulls).

Howard quickly established himself as one of the top goalkeepers in MLS, showcasing his exceptional reflexes, commanding presence, and shot-stopping abilities. He was named MLS Goalkeeper of the Year and MLS Humanitarian of the Year in 2001. In the net, Howard thrived and eventually signed with Manchester United in 2003. There, he earned an F.A. Cup winners medal in 2004 and was named the Professional Footballers Association No. 1 keeper. He joined Everton Football Club in 2006 and played there through 2016. In January 2012, he became only the 4th keeper in English Premier League history to score a goal. After his tenure at Everton, Howard returned to the states to play four seasons with the Colorado Rapids in MLS, from 2016 to 2019.

Tim also had the incredible honor of representing his country playing for the U.S. Men’s National Team. He made his USMNT debut in a 1-0 victory against Ecuador on March 10, 2002, in Birmingham, Ala. After serving as a backup for the 2006 FIFA World Cup, Howard played every match for the U.S. in the 2010 and 2014 competitions. He made a U.S.-record 121 international appearances as a goalkeeper, earned the 2009 FIFA Confederations Cup’s Golden Glove Award and secured U.S. Soccer Male Athlete of the Year honors twice (2008, 2014). Tim also holds the record for number of saves in a World Cup match at 16 saves, during the Round of 16 match against Belgium in Brazil in 2014.

After retiring from playing, Tim has stayed close to the game as a Premier League Analyst for NBC Sports. He is also part of the ownership group of the Houston Dynamo of MLS and Houston Dash of NWSL. He continues his philanthropic work through the Tim Howard Foundation to provide opportunities and resources for communities and children in need.

RON JOHNSON

American Football Player

Birthdate: October 17, 1947

Death Date: November 10, 2018

NJ Town Affiliation: Summit

Ron Johnson made history at the University of Michigan by setting an NCAA single-game record with 347 rushing yards on 31 carries (11.2 yards per carry) against Wisconsin. He was the first African-American captain in school history.

Drafted by the Cleveland Browns in 1969, he was traded to the New York Giants in 1970 where he quickly became a fan favorite as the first player in franchise history to rush for 1,000 yards. Notably, his two 1,000-yard seasons were the only winning seasons for the Giants between 1964 and 1980. Recently, he was honored as one of the Top 100 players in Giants’ history.

After retiring, Johnson founded Rackson Corporation, a food service company that owned and operated 29 Kentucky Fried Chicken franchises in New Jersey, Michigan, and Tennessee. He was also actively involved in community outreach, charitable projects, and coaching his children’s various sports teams.

His legacy endures, marked by inductions into various Hall of Fames and now continues with his Induction into the Class of 2024 New Jersey Hall of Fame!

PHIL SIMMS

American Football Player

Birthdate: November 3, 1955

NJ Town Affiliation: Franklin Lakes

The Kentucky-native Phil Simms was the New York Giants first selection in the 1979 NFL Draft out of Morehead State University. Simms spent 15 years as a quarterback for the New York Giants, winning two Super Bowl titles (1987, 1991). Simms was named Super Bowl MVP in Super Bowl XXI (1987) when he completed 22 of 25 passes in defeating the Denver Broncos for Big Blue’s first Super Bowl win.

Upon retirement, Simms established team marks for most passes completed and attempted for one game (40 completed, 62 attempted), season (286, 533) and career (2,576, 4,647), most career touchdown passes (199) and most 300-yard games in a career (21). Simms was selected for the 1985 and 1993 Pro Bowls and was the 1985 Pro Bowl MVP. He was named All-Pro in 1986.

Following an All-Pro quarterback career, Simms became a mainstay in the broadcast booth as lead NFL game analyst for NBC (1995-1998) and then CBS (1998-2016) before transitioning to studio analyst for CBS’s The NFL Today (2016-2024). In total, Simms has served as lead game analyst for eight (8) Super Bowls. Simms has served as a studio analyst on Inside The NFL, contributor to the weekly show NFL MONDAY QB on CBS Sports Network as well as co-host of SiriusXM’s Mad Dog Radio program Simms and the Mad Dog. Away from the gridiron, Simms has also announced weightlifting events for NBC Sports coverage of the 1996 Olympic Summer Games and served as sideline reporter on “The NBA on NBC”. In addition to his work in the broadcast booth, the Franklin Lakes, NJ resident authored the New York Times bestselling “Sunday Morning Quarterback: Going Deep on the Strategies, Myths and Mayhem of Football”. and co-hosted the Miss Universe Pageant (2002) on CBS, becoming the first athlete ever to do so.

Simms earned his degree from Morehead State University in Morehead, K.Y. He and his wife, Diana, live in Franklin Lakes, N.J. They have three children, Christopher, Matthew and Deirdre. Simms also has seven grandchildren.

Photo Credit: Mary Kouw/CBS

CLASS OF 2024 INDUCTEE EDUCATOR OF THE YEAR

Photo Credit: Mr. Simon Wong

ANDREW D e NICOLA Music Educator / Band Director

Birthdate: September 11, 1951

Death Date: May 20, 2024

NJ Town Affiliation: Edison

Andrew “Andy” S. DeNicola was a renowned music educator and band director with a celebrated 50-year career in the Edison NJ Public School District. Born in Edison, NJ on September 11, 1951, Andy grew up as the middle child in a loving family with his parents, Albert and Mary DeNicola, and two siblings, Albert and Pattie. In 1968, Andy graduated from Edison High School.

He went on to study music education with a concentration trumpet performance at Montclair State University before completing a Masters in Conducting at Trenton State College (now The College of New Jersey). A true NJ native, Andy settled in Metuchen, NJ with his beloved wife of over 50 years, Kathy R. DeNicola, where they raised their two children, Albert and Katie.

Throughout his tenure as Director of Bands at John P. Stevens High School, Andy and his students were awarded innumerable accolades for individual and ensemble achievement alike. This included regional, statewide, and national recognition across every musical discipline. Indeed, through his many years of tireless dedication, Mr. DeNicola and the JP Stevens Band Program redefined what is possible in junior high and high school band. Notably, Andy himself was also individually recognized by his peers and national organizations for his remarkable accomplishments. In 2013, Andy was a Finalist for the first-ever Grammy Music Educator Award, awarded to individuals with significant and lasting contribution to the field of music education and who demonstrate a commitment to the broader cause of maintaining music education in the schools. In 2019, he became an Inductee of the American Bandmasters Association, a prestigious, invite-only organization of approximately 300 concert band conductors and composers in recognition of outstanding achievement – and widely considered to be the highest honor in wind studies.

Known to his beloved students as “Dean,” he delighted generations with his tough love, and practical jokes. JP Stevens Band Program graduates span an immeasurably wide range of disciplines, but no small number of acolytes of the “Dean” went on to become music educators and performers. Andy’s students today bring their musical talents to local and international stages alike, from primary and secondary school general music programs to military honor bands to the most celebrated stages across the world.

On May 20, 2024, Andy DeNicola rejoined his loving family in heaven after a lifelong battle with heart disease. He is survived by a large and loving family, and his legacy lives on through the thousands of lives he touched throughout his remarkable life and career.

CLASS OF 2024 INDUCTEES UNSUNG HEROES

BOB GUARASCI Founder, New Jersey Community Development Corporation (NJCDC)

Birthdate: May 8, 1962

NJ Town Affiliation: Paterson

Robert F. (Bob) Guarasci was born on May 8, 1962 in Englewood, New Jersey. At the age of 8, Bob and his family moved to Fort Lee, where he would graduate from Fort Lee High School in 1980. Bob then attended George Washington University, where he served two terms as student body president, graduating in 1986.

In 1989, Bob volunteered for the campaign of Jim Florio, who would be elected Governor of New Jersey that November. Bob worked in the Florio Administration for four years, serving as Executive Assistant to the state’s Commissioner of Human Services. In that role, Bob worked on issues ranging from welfare reform to an expansion of community-based services for people with disabilities.

In 1994, Bob founded New Jersey Community Development Corporation (NJCDC), a community development and social service agency based in New Jersey’s third largest city, Paterson. Grounded in the notion that good people should join together to make a difference in the lives of our most vulnerable neighbors, NJCDC started with two employees and one program in 1994; it now employs 150+ people and has an annual operating budget in excess of $18 million.

NJCDC’s mission is to create opportunities to transform lives within the city of Paterson, where it serves 4,000+ children and families each day. NJCDC operates a variety of programs and services that include a preschool for inner-city children, a youth center, an AmeriCorps national service program, a county-wide youth mental health initiative, and a large array of youth development programs, many of which are located within Paterson schools. In addition, NJCDC has invested over $120 million in brick and mortar projects, largely throughout Paterson’s Great Falls neighborhood, including 200+ units of affordable and supportive housing.

In the area of supportive housing, NJCDC provides apartments with on-site services for a number of special needs groups, including those who are homeless with a mental illness, people with developmental disabilities, and youth leaving the state’s foster care system.

Additionally, Bob and NJCDC founded the Community Charter School of Paterson, with 900 students in grades K-8. In founding the school, Bob believed that schools should serve as community hubs, that they should integrate and draw upon community resources, and that student achievement is closely linked with engaging and strengthening families.

Bob’s current professional interests include the revitalization of Paterson and the Great Falls Historic District, place-based and resident-led community development initiatives, the creation of supportive housing for individuals with disabilities, comprehensive youth development programs for at-risk youth, and the intersection of healthcare and community development.

Bob currently serves on a variety of governing boards, including as a gubernatorial appointee to the boards of William Paterson University and the Paterson Housing Authority. Additionally, Bob serves on the boards of the Paterson Prep Charter School, the Health Coalition of Passaic County, and is President of the Paterson Charter School Roundtable. Bob is also co-founder of the Paterson Alliance, a consortium of over 100 non-profit organizations serving Paterson residents.

REVA FOSTER

Director, Willingboro Township Senior Center

Birthdate: June 23, 1948

NJ Town Affiliation: Willingboro

Reva Foster graduated Cum Laude in three years from Allen University in Columbia, South Carolina with a Bachelor Science degree in Biology. She went on to pursue Graduate work in Microbiology at Miami University where she received a Graduate Assistantship teaching Microbiology to Freshmen and Sophomore college students. She is a Certified Master Trainer for the Stanford University Chronic Disease Self-Management Program. Reva also holds several certificates in Business Management, Senior Health, Quality Administration Deming Quality Circle and International Group and Personal Fitness Trainer Certifications. She received an Honorable Discharge from the United States Air Force.

In 1993, she was hired as the Director of the Willingboro Township Senior Citizen Center. She now serves as Executive Director of the Department on Aging where she is the chief administrator. Her goal was to establish a state-of-the-art Senior Citizen Center and Program that would be continually recognized statewide and be a welcoming home away from home for our senior population. In 2007, her responsibilities for the Willingboro Township were expanded when she was chosen to head Community Affairs and subsequently Veterans Affairs Departments.

Some of Reva’s community service organizations include: Chairman & Strategist for the United States Savings Bond Campaign, Chairman of Advisory Council for the Advancement of Women, Eastern Star, South Jersey Red Hatters, Member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc., Willingboro Advocates, Willingboro Committee Women for District 13, New Jersey Association of Senior Directors, President of the Willingboro & Vicinity NAACP, Commissioner of the Election Board, Board member and/or Trustee of several local and state organizations and foundations.

She has served nine years as the Chairman of the New Jersey Black Issues Senior Symposium, four years as 1 st Vice Chairman and served five terms as State Chairman of the New Jersey Black Issues Convention. She was selected as the 2012 New Jersey State Delegate for United States President Barack Obama. For ten years, she wrote grants and directed a program to provide breakfast and lunch to children that qualify for free and reduced meals during the summer months and she received the United States Food & Nutrition Service Certificate of Appreciation.

Reva has received several awards for her service to the community to name a few: Who’s Who in Universities and Colleges, New Jersey Women of Achievement Awards, Outstanding African American Woman, New Jersey Certificate of Honor, New Jersey Community Service Award, Outstanding Woman of Burlington County Award, Employee of the Year, Burlington County Times Making a Difference in Burlington County Award, several Sorority and Fraternity Community Service Awards, Veteran of Foreign Wars Service Recognition Awards, Buffalo Soldiers Service Award, Notable Woman Award, Who’s Who in the East and twice recipient of the Citizen of the Year Award, Black Excellence Social Justice Award and Standing on the Shoulders of Giants Honoree Award.

Reva is passionate and enthusiastic about life. She never misses an opportunity to help someone. Her generosity is unparalleled. She strongly believes that if you can help one person along the way, then your living will not be in vain.

The Creamer Family Foundation is proud to be a sponsor of the 16th Annual Induction Ceremony

Congratulations to the 2024 New Jersey Hall of Fame inductees!

INSPIRATION. EDUCATION.

NOW OPEN

Jersey greatness is on full display at New Jersey Hall of Fame at American Dream.

You can find us at Court G, Level 3 of American Dream, located at 1 American Dream Way, East Rutherford, NJ.

The 10,000-square-foot Center is now the permanent home for New Jersey Hall of Fame inductees, boasting state-of-the-art exhibits.

These include a simulated space ride called “Fly Me to the Moon,” where visitors can experience the thrill of space travel. For music enthusiasts, there’s a karaoke stage where they can sing alongside holograms of Gloria Gaynor, Wyclef Jean, Frankie Valli, and other musical legends.

Also, for those interested in the arts, visitors can interview holograms of Danny DeVito, Jason Alexander, Connie Chung, and other notable Jersey greats in the “Late Night Jersey” Television Studio.

JON BON JOVI

NEW JERSEY SHOPRITES

NEW YORK SHOPRITES

DESIGNERS

WELDERS

Saddleback Real Estate Developers specializes in industrial properties throughout the state of New Jersey. As a prominent commercial real estate development firm, owners Salvatore Frassetto and Terry Frassetto collectively provide more than 80 years of expertise in the New Jersey marketplace. Saddleback owns and manages 20 industrial properties and has developed more than 20 million square feet of real estate. Saddleback specializes in revitalizing and repositioning distressed properties while offering quick and streamlined closings. Visit Saddleback Real Estate Developers at www.SaddlebackNJ.com.

Saddleback takes pride in New Jersey and in projects both large and small and is currently looking for new properties of all types to add to their portfolio. Contact Terry Frassetto or Salvatore V. Frassetto to discuss commercial real estate at 973.227.3333, TFrassetto@SaddlebackNJ.com or SFrassetto@SaddlebackNJ.com. Visit Saddleback Real Estate Developers at www.SaddlebackNJ.com.

The Hampshire Companies proudly congratulates the New Jersey Hall of Fame on its

14th Annual

16th Annual Induction Ceremony Class of 2024

Induction Ceremony and celebrates the remarkable achievements of each member of the Class of 2022.

CEREMONY ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

C o - e xe C utive P rodu C ers

Steve Edwards

David Smith

George Veras

C o -P rodu C ers

Brenda De Santis

Leo Ehrline

Norris Clark

a sso C iate P rodu C er

Eliza Rosenthale

s enior e ditor

Eric Welshenbaugh

C ameras / s ounds

Corey Danieli

Tom Harman

Dylan Varian

Jill Sager

Frank Weiss

t he t eam at n ew J ersey h all of f ame at a meri C an d ream

Octavia Adams

Nataly Almanzar

Mercy Barragan

Jelena Begonja

Tyrell Best

Bryan Blaney

Pierce Butler, IV

Brenda De Santis

Leo Ehrline

Michael Foti

Robert Franke Jr.

Ali Genova

Yara Kaleemah

Travis Lewis

Nathaniel Menjivar Llanos

Chelaina Joi Mans

Michael Pardo

Jack Pluymers

Michael Rubin

Waad Sidahmed

Perry Simon

Tammy Uzzell

Brittany Wyche

CEREMONY ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS (CONT.)

f inan C e / a CC ountin G

Tammy Uzzell

P u B li C r elations

Aimee Brooks

Norris Clark

Celina Henry

Emaleigh Kaithern

Mark Lo Bello

Maxwell Moran

Eliza Rosenthale

Carolinn Pocher Woody

m C/ h ost

Danny DeVito

P erforman C es B y

Andy Burton: Keyboards and Background Vocals

John Conte: Bass

Mark Rivera: Sax and Vocals

March Ribler: Guitar and Vocals

Rich Mercurio: Drums

s P e C ial G uest P erformer

Gary US Bonds

m usi C al d ire C tors

Marc Ribler

Mark Rivera

l ive m usi C m ixed and e dited B y

Isaiah Abolin

Marc Ribler

t ravel C oordinator

O’Mealia Signature Events

n J hof C onsultants

WE

CONGRATULATE THE WINNERS

OF THE ARETÉ SCHOLARSHIP AND NJEA ESSAY CONTEST!

Areté is the act of actualizing one’s highest and best sense of self, with a moral excellence of character and for the greater good. It is an ancient Greek philosophy that Plato, Aristotle, and Socrates embraced. The concept encourages individuals to pursue their passions in life and realize their dreams regardless of their circumstances or the adversities that they are likely to face on the path to greatness.

This year’s winners of our annual Areté Scholarship embody the meaning of Areté and we are confident they will distinguish themselves as New Jerseyans who are on their way to realizing their dreams.

We also congratulate the winners of the New Jersey Hall of Fame’s Annual Essay Contest, Who Belongs in the Hall of Fame, in partnership with the New Jersey Education Association (NJEA). The contest is open to all students from 4th to 12th grade and divided into two grade categories: intermediate (grades 4-8) and high school (grades 9-12).