Orsen is an accomplished leader with vast experience in state government and the utilities industry. She joined South Jersey Industries in 2017 as general counsel and was quickly promoted to president and chief operating officer of South Jersey Gas. In 2021, she was named president of SJI Utilities. In 2024, she was named chair of the New Jersey Utilities Association, becoming the first woman to hold that position.
Under his leadership, the Basie Center has undergone a transformative period of growth, solidifying its role as one of the most impactful nonprofit arts organizations in the country. Since joining the organization in 2012, Philipson has more than quadrupled the operational budget and successfully rebranded the Basie Center to elevate the organization’s education, outreach, and community engagement.
Poe is more than just the leader of a successful insurance company, one that operates in New Jersey and Michigan (and often produces the best Super Bowl ads). Poe is a change agent, working to ensure that auto insurance (especially for people of color) is priced fairly and on metrics that truly matter. It’s a fight he’s led for decades, at great personal and professional cost, but one he won’t back away from.
The hardest part about Pozycki is trying to determine which project is his most significant — or trying to figure out if he’ll ever slow down. His work in Morristown (Valley Bank’s headquarters and M Station) has helped transform the city into a business hub. His work at the HELIX in New Brunswick (SJP is designing the new HQ for Nokia Bell Labs) will help make the district the center of innovation in the state.
The HELIX, the NJ AI Hub, NJ FAST, HAX, CoreWeave … anything being done at Princeton University, New Jersey Institute of Technology and Stevens Institute of Technology. New Jersey clearly is a leader in all things tech and STEM. Price is the smart and steady leader of TechUnited: New Jersey, the group that is working to find ways to better elevate the sector, creating pathways for more partnerships and launching pads for more entrepreneurial innovation.
It’s easy to start with Profeta’s vast real estate holdings — or the fact that he helped start real estate schools at Rutgers University and NJIT. It’s easy to add his philanthropic work, much of which has come at NJIT, where he started the Community Entrepreneurship Program at the New Jersey Innovation Institute. But, we’re media folks, so we’ll salute him for the fine work that takes place at Real Estate NJ.
From top-notch advocacy to over-the-top events (hundreds of them), few groups represent, support and advocate for the business community better than the South Jersey Chamber. It dominates the action in the seven South Jersey counties — and, under Renna’s guidance — isn’t afraid to speak up and speak out when the region is being overlooked by the rest of the state.
Here’s what you need to know about Reynolds’ work in Newark: The Pru Center is the 9th-highest-grossing large arena in the world ($115 million in revenue) — and that’s just for its incredibly diverse entertainment offerings. From the MTV Video Music Awards to Bad Bunny to K-pop, “the Rock” is a global leader. And, now that Jack Hughes is back, don’t count out the Devils’ chances.
The Port of Newark is the largest on the East Coast and third-largest in the country. Incredibly, it serves more than one-third of a market that stretches from Miami to Montreal. Rooney oversees it all: management, operations and development. She manages a nearly $400 million annual budget and leads initiatives to not only increase volume, but do it in an environmentally sustainable way.
Roth oversees the day-to-day operations for the accounting and advisory firm, providing guidance and oversight to its managing partners and service line leaders. She plays a key role in developing firm strategic goals and policies, monitoring performance and driving business growth. Most importantly, she does it all in accordance with the firm’s credo of working with integrity and like a family — to be part of something bigger.
It’s no surprise that Russo not only is one of the leading developers in the state, but one of the most visionary. The firm was one of the first to see the value in data centers, a realization that continues to pay off. But the biggest payoff for the firm is how it transforms communities. Russo continually builds multifamily buildings in overlooked neighborhoods, bringing new life to these areas.
The incredible work he’s done to make NJPAC a crown jewel of the arts is worthy enough of a spot on this list. But Schreiber and NJPAC are so much more than that. They are creating an arts district around the PAC, complete with housing and educational opportunities. And they are a leader in the development of Lionsgate Newark, a brick-and-mortar studio that will dramatically change the city.
As a former CEO of PayPal, Schulman knows about running a tech company. And as a seven-year board member at Verizon, Schulman knows about Verizon. When he took over at Verizon in October, he said the human side of business was his top priority, saying it’s not about technology or scale, but culture — listening to customers and empowering teams to drive real change.
Shuffler has long been a government affairs expert — and he is working tirelessly to become a transformative sports team owner (see his efforts with the Staten Island FerryHawks). But, more than anything, he’s showing others what it takes to be a good person and a good mentor. His “CommonPlace” Sunday posts on LinkedIn (“quotes that make you smile and think”) are well worth your time.
For more than a decade, Sica has worked with high-net-worth investors to help them find alternative market investments, primarily in private equity real estate deals. One investment has become a personal play. Sica now heads the group running the MC Hotel in Montclair, where it is working to take an already-great space to the next level — transforming it into the top hotel in the state.
Siekerka is a lawyer, an economic development expert and a fierce advocate for the business community. All of these attributes make her the perfect leader for one of the state’s largest business organizations. From events to webinars, white papers to testimony, behind-the-scenes lobbying to public pronouncements, Siekerka and her crew have the back of the business community.
Apparently, it wasn’t enough for Simoncini to be the leader of one of the most impactful communications and marketing firms in North Jersey. Or to serve as a capable and convincing spokesperson for clients and causes. Simoncini now has a brokerage license, which allows him to help clients in new ways, such as working months to be a part of the transformative Horizon BCBSNJ headquarters plan.
One of the good guys on the New Jersey business scene, few are respected as much as Sobel, who now heads up the New Jersey office for CLA, which acquired his firm in 2023. Sobel has more than four decades of experience serving private business owners in diverse industries, including real estate, retail supermarkets, manufacturing, logistics and professional services.
Soliman leads the New Jersey and Pennsylvania offices and is a principal voice in Mercury’s national strategy and operations. Impressive? Sure. But it’s only part of his résumé. For years, Soliman has been a confidant and adviser for some of the most powerful politicians in the state, including U.S. Reps. Josh Gottheimer and Rob Menendez now and former U.S. Sen. Bob Menendez in the past.
Website? You won’t find one. Social media presence? LOL. But you can be sure he’s in the phone of many of the most important business leaders and elected officials in the state. Sommer not only is the ultimate connector, he also is a master of marketing, brand building and, when needed, crisis communications. A one-man show? Sure. But he’s leaving a legacy by teaching a popular course at
To be sure, much of the attention around Kushner Cos. is The Journal, the two 64-story glass towers housing 1,723 residential units and nearly 100,000 square feet of amenities and retail in Jersey City. The firm is so much more than that. There is the incredible Pier Village project (and Monmouth Mall transformation) down the Shore, multifamily projects throughout the state and plenty more.
A potential headquarters move in Newark — one in which the state’s largest insurer would get a new downtown headquarters while its previous location becomes much-needed housing — would have a tremendous impact on the city. Here’s what shouldn’t be overlooked: Horizon is the latest major company to reaffirm its commitment to Newark, a message that means plenty.
Steinberger, who served two governors early in his career (from 2005-10), used that experience to become a go-to expert in grassroots advocacy and engagement, public affairs and campaign management. Using his knowledge of digital strategy, he drives strategies for many of Avoq’s most complex and high-profile engagements that require innovative outreach and refined communication messaging.
Stigers only joined Wakefern, the largest retailer-owned cooperative in the United States, in 2023. But he brought with him a lifetime of experience. He has a distinguished track record in both the retail and wholesale sides of the business, holding executive roles in operations, merchandising and supply chain — as well as experience on the vendor side, having worked for software and food safety companies.
Sullivan, who was elevated to CEO last spring, has been with the company for more than a decade, having previously served as executive vice president for international businesses and global investment management, head of Prudential’s U.S. businesses and president of the firm’s group insurance business. Here’s something you likely didn’t know: Sullivan once served as a nuclear submarine officer in the Navy.
