Broadhurst is responsible for advancing J&J’s strategy across corporate marketing, global communications, health equity and philanthropic giving. Or you can put it this way: She leads a world-class team that is passionate about changing the trajectory of health for humanity. A veteran of more than 25 years in senior leadership, she has a long list of accolades, including being named a “Healthcare Champion of the Year” and one of the “Most Influential Black Executives in Corporate America.”
Coscia is saluted for a number of reasons: As a partner at Windels Marx, he is an in-demand counsel for all things real estate and economic development. As chairman of Amtrak, he not only was a key player in getting the Gateway Tunnel project financed, but is the architect of an incredible turnaround at Amtrak, which not only includes new state-of-the-art trains but a plan to use the tunnel project as an impetus to show how rail can be a transportation solution throughout New Jersey.
Crowley has been a key player in the massive expansion of film and television production in the state. That boost is more than just having New Jersey be the backdrop of so many ventures (see Adam Sandler in Morristown and numerous shots featuring Newport in Jersey City and Bell Works in Holmdel). The economic gain that will come from the brick-and-mortar studios going up at Fort Monmouth (Netflix), Newark (Lionsgate) and Bayonne (Paramount) will impact the state for decades to come.
Here’s the biggest challenge when describing the growth of JAG Physical Therapy: Getting the current number of the facilities it has. JAG, simply put, is growing faster than you can count. Gallucci is an entrepreneurial success story in the state who does not get as much recognition as he should. The numbers speak to that. JAG, in addition to being the physical therapy organization for a number of schools and teams, now has locations in all 21 New Jersey counties and more than 150 in the tri-state area. (And counting.)
Expect Garofalo and Bank of America to be ubiquitous at World Cup events in the coming months in their role as the FIFA global sponsor in the banking industry. It’s the type of community presence and outreach that has been a staple of Garofalo’s role as head of BofA in New Jersey. The bank has been a leader in serving the state — and not just through providing financing. BofA, under Garofalo’s guidance, has become a full economic driver and workforce development leader through various programs and initiatives.
Garrett was worthy of recognition when HMH’s flagship hospital, Hackensack University Medical Center, was named one of the 20 best in the country by U.S. News & World Report, the first New Jersey hospital to ever earn the honor. The accolade is just one measure of the success Garrett has had overseeing the system. In addition to being a global thought leader on health care (see his role at the Davos forum), Garrett has redefined how a system can be a leading innovator in health care advancements.
Geller was a big reason why Englewood was such a highly coveted acquisition — and why RWJBarnabas Health was so excited when a definitive agreement to merge was announced earlier this month. Englewood consistently earns high marks for clinical excellence and multiple Top Teaching Hospital designations, and its reach (100 locations in five counties, including numerous urgent care and imagining centers) is far greater than many realize. Geller and his all-star team deserve all of the accolades.
Let’s be clear: Gooda and United were not responsible for staffing shortages and overscheduling issues at Newark Liberty International Airport, which led to the meltdown in May 2025. But Gooda and United are responsible for leading the efforts to solve the problems while making travel out of the airport more pleasurable (better lounges, bilingual apps). Don’t take our word for it, listen to the customers. The carrier had three of its highest net promoter scores (which measure customer satisfaction) during the holiday season.
It’s not enough to acknowledge that Houshmand has been more influential in the past decade at his institution than any other university president — it’s fair to ask if any C-suite leader in any sector has had as great an impact. Houshmand has run Rowan like a business. More than that, he has run it as an economic engine for all of South Jersey. And he’s only just begun. The school aims to nearly double its size in the coming decade, setting an enrollment goal of 38,000 by 2033.
Kolluri has long been lauded as one of the top transportation leaders of this generation — it’s why there was so much applause when it was announced Gov.-elect Mikie Sherrill wanted him to remain as the head of NJ Transit and nominated him to be the executive director of the New Jersey Turnpike Authority. Kolluri’s experience in leadership sets the region on a course for success during the FIFA World Cup 2026 and in the years ahead.
Eighteen months after a long-awaited merger with Lakeland, Labozzetta’s leadership is taking Provident to new heights, ensuring that culture and competency are the keys behind everything the now $25-billion super-community bank can offer. Don’t be fooled. Provident has the acumen and attitude to compete with any bank in the state, as its technology upgrades and key leadership hires show. That’s a credit to what Labozzetta is building.
Energy (everything from generation to rates to regulation) will be one of the top issues in the state this year. LaRossa, the leader of the largest utility in New Jersey, will be in the middle of it. And that’s a good thing. The longtime energy thought leader was one of the first in the state to issue a warning that the current rules and regulations around energy generation and delivery are not capable of providing what the state needs. He’ll certainly be at the table when solutions are discussed.
A simple task awaits Lasry this summer: Just ensure the biggest event in the history of the world goes off smoothly. That’s one way to describe the FIFA World Cup 2026, which will play its final at MetLife Stadium. Hyperbole? Not really. Far more international fans — and business leaders and governmental officials — will be in this region than any other, for the matches and the Fan Festival at Liberty State Park. Lasry and his able crew will work to ensure the event meets and exceeds the lofty expectations.
Pick a number, any number: NJIT is No. 1 nationally among public universities for alumni earnings and economic mobility (New York Times), No. 1 for value among the state’s public universities (Wall Street Journal), Top 10 for return on investment (numerous rankings) and among the Top 100 overall (and Top 50 public) of the prestigious U.S. News & World Report rankings. Lim beams at the rankings — but he may be prouder of the fact that NJIT is a leader in educating those from underrepresented communities.
Manigan and RWJBH are continually improving and transforming their ability to care for the state. From the opening of the Jack & Sheryl Morris Cancer Center (last spring) to the announcement of a new facility in Monmouth County (last month) to the planned acquisition of Englewood Health (in progress), Manigan has the system on a roll. And all of this comes while RWJBH continues to be (by far) the biggest provider of charity care in the state.
While Mansue applauds the fact that Inspira is in the middle of a 186,000-square-foot expansion of its Mullica Hill campus, its flagship hospital and a leader in health and wellness in South Jersey, she’s equally proud of the system’s commitment to extend top-level care for the state’s most rural spots, including Salem County. Such leadership is a reason Mansue remains one of the most sought-after board members, whether it’s New Jersey Resources, Middlesex Water or the Board of Governors at Rutgers University.
Maron called the historic $75 million donation from the Noble Family Foundation to Holy Name last summer — what is believed to be the largest gift to any Catholic hospital in history — an example of divine intervention. Others will note this: The gift was an acknowledgement of the incredible work Maron and his team do at Holy Name, a beacon of excellence in Teaneck. At a time when single-entity hospitals are disappearing, Holy Name remains an example of community impact they can have.
He is the executive chairman of Conner Strong & Buckelew, the chair of the board of Cooper University Health Care and a key leader of the Norcross Foundation. More than anything, he is the most influential person in Camden for the past generation, devoting time and energy to help revitalize the city. Of course, his influence over business and politics — in South and North Jersey — remains unmatched. The foundation recently donated a record $215,000 to the Camden County Police Department.
A year ago, the hospital announced a transformative $3 billion “Project Imagine” initiative that will bring 745 inpatient beds, enhanced surgical services and improvements to the system’s already-strong emergency department. The news only got better. Last year, Cooper received an A+ credit rating by S&P Global (the highest for the system in its 138-year history), was ranked No. 7 in New Jersey by U.S. News & World Report and as one of the 200 Best Places to Work (large employers) by Forbes.
As if he hasn’t done enough in his tenure at the Port Authority, the recently approved $45 billion capital plan for 2026-35 will help O’Toole and his team transform the entire region. In New Jersey, that means a complete overhaul of Terminal B at Newark airport, completion of the planned state-of-the-art AirTrain Newark system, a PATH Forward program that will significantly increase PATH service, as well as improvements at the Midtown Bus Terminal and Kennedy and La Guardia airports.
Paladino and DEVCO have been building modern-day New Brunswick for decades, continually adding projects to improve housing, entertainment and Rutgers. Its latest effort, the transformative HELIX innovation district, will impact the area for generations to come. Combining a medical school, a university and entrepreneurial community (led by Portal Innovations) and the greatest innovators in history (Nokia Bell Labs) is a legacy project for the state, Gov. Phil Murphy … and Paladino.
Porrino is more than just the No. 1 attorney at the state’s No. 1 firm, leading its world-class litigation group — a go-to firm for any big issue or controversy. Porrino, a former attorney general for the state and former chief counsel for Gov. Chris Christie, is so respected that he and his team have been hired over and over again by Gov. Phil Murphy’s team, too — a credit to the nonpartisan nature of his efforts. He is close to and spoken forcefully in favor of Gov.-elect Mikie Sherrill’s choice of Jennifer Davenport as the new AG.
If you want a snapshot of Pullin, consider the book he released last spring: “Suited for Leadership: How to Show Up with Purpose to Have Lasting Impact.” Pullin was perfectly suited to write the book. And, to no one’s surprise, it immediately became a bestseller. Pullin then announced that all proceeds from the sales of the book will benefit Virtua’s food access programs. “This isn’t a how-to manual,” Pullin said. “It’s a reflection on what it means to lead with authenticity, empathy and purpose.”
It’s one thing to be the leader of one of the largest and most important utilities in the state. It’s another to be a leader who always is out in front of ideas and initiatives that will help his industry and society. Last fall, SJI and OPAL Fuels cut the ribbon on a renewable natural gas project in Egg Harbor Township that will capture and process landfill gas into RNG. And, last year, SJI broke ground on one of the largest food waste-to-RNG facilities, being built in Linden.
It’s not just that Kean is growing quickly in size and stature (its all-campus enrollment is approaching 19,000), but how it’s doing it. Under Repollet’s steady leadership, Kean has made increasing access and opportunities a key priority. Another aim: Working to ensure its students are well-trained in artificial intelligence. Kean will continue to grow, too: In addition to announcing it will give “in-state” tuition to all students, the school signed an agreement to bring New Jersey City University into fold.
It’s easy to talk about the still-cool headquarters in Morristown — or the seemingly endless number of community projects Valley Bank has helped support. Then, there’s this: Under Robbins’ leadership, the bank continues to soar financially, Valley achieved significant growth in the third quarter of 2025, with net income rising to $163 million, from $133 million in the previous quarter. It marked the highest quarterly profitability since the end of 2022. The company also increased core deposits by nearly 10%.
The company’s commitment to office — a gamble it took during the pandemic that is paying off today — shows its commitment to the state. So does this: Onyx (and partners Russo Development, Axonic and Machine Investment Group) were the first to sign up to support the host committee for the FIFA World Cup 2026.
The importance of her role was apparent in the past year, as she helped the school find a new president, general counsel, athletic director and chancellor (for Rutgers-Newark). Using the new leadership to help prepare the school for a new era — one in which fundraising has never been more important — is the next challenge. Towers, a successful business leader and globally recognized philanthropist, will be more than up for the challenge.
Visconi has a long history of successes — but perhaps none greater than her impact at Bergen New Bridge, where she has transformed the state’s biggest hospital into one of its very best through caring and compassion since taking over in 2017. Last fall, during the confusion around SNAP benefits, Visconi and Bergen New Bridge opened the cafeteria to anyone in need, no questions asked. It was more than a meal, she said, but more of a support mechanism for the community.
Wilcox was the first woman in the country to open a commercial real estate mortgage banking firm when she founded G.S. Wilcox in 1994. She has been an example — and an inspiration — for females in the commercial real estate sector ever since. And for good reason. The firm, now reaching into next-generation leadership (daughter Bridget and son Wesley are now partners), continues to be a go-to-financier for projects all around the area.
