To read this year’s Top 30, click the links below:
To read the rest of the ROI Influencers: Power List 2021, click here.
Leslie Anderson
CEO
New Jersey Redevelopment Authority
Her job is to help steer investments to urban areas — has been for years. So much of the state finally is catching up to the good work she’s been doing all along.
Tai Cooper
Vice president of policy and communications
New Jersey Economic Development Authority
Key player in the EDA team as it works to make sure existing companies receive all of the help and benefits they are entitled to — while helping to spur more investment, especially in underserved communities.
Kevin Corbett
CEO
New Jersey Transit
Perhaps no one in the state has seen their daily job — and long-term goals — change more because of the pandemic. Everyone knows NJ Transit will play a key role in the post-pandemic recovery.
Matt Doherty
Executive director
Casino Reinvestment Development Authority
Atlantic City has been one of the hardest-hit areas in the state — and gaming has been one of the hardest-hit sectors — making CRDA’s mission more important and more challenging.
Joe Fiordaliso
Commissioner
New Jersey Board of Public Utilities
The offshore wind program has the potential to be one of the biggest job creators in the state in some time. The BPU will play a key role in these initiatives.
Aisha Glover
Vice president of urban innovation
Audible
Glover, one of the top leaders in the state, heads the Global Center for Urban Development, which began last fall as an effort focused on advancing equality, racial justice and economic empowerment.
Diane Gutierrez-Scacetti
Commissioner
Department of Transportation
The state of our roads, bridges and tunnels will impact economic development in the state as much as anything else. Gutierrez-Scacetti and her team will play a key role here.
Joe Kelley (T-#20)
Deputy chief of staff for economic growth
Governor’s Office
Kelley plays a lead role in connecting business opportunities to government’s mission. He continues to be one of Gov. Phil Murphy’s most trusted advisers on all things economic development in the state.
Kris Kolluri
CEO
Cooper’s Ferry Partnership
Kolluri is using the project management skills he learned working in higher education and at the DOT — and the ability to navigate among groups with different priorities he learned in politics — to make the trains run on time on the big changes happening in Camden.
Allison Ladd
Deputy mayor and director, economic and housing development
City of Newark
Ladd continues to be a go-to adviser and trusted leader for one of Mayor Ras Baraka’s key initiatives in the city: housing.
Jose Lozano (T-#20)
CEO
Choose New Jersey
The COVID-19 pandemic changed — but didn’t stop — the recruitment process of companies into the state. Look for more international firms to come here, especially as the new incentive offerings come into play.
Lauren Moore
Executive director
Atlantic County Economic Alliance
A longtime economic development guru, Moore has set his sights on making sure Atlantic City’s development goes beyond gaming.
Kevin O’Toole
Chairman
Port Authority of New York and New Jersey
The doings at the port figure to take on even greater significance under President Joe Biden and Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg. O’Toole provides steady leadership.
Chris Paladino (#19)
President
DEVCO
His efforts can be found up and down the state: In Atlantic City at AC DEVCO, in New Brunswick at the Hub and in Jersey City at SciTech Scity — and those are just some of the projects Paladino is involved with.
Ommeed Sathe
Vice president, impact investments
Prudential Financial
Prudential’s role in the future of real estate in Newark cannot be overstated. Sathe, as always, will be a key figure in the area.
Tim Sullivan (T-#20)
CEO
NJEDA
The more than 18 months of haggling between the governor and the Legislature on the state’s new incentive programs was just the first step in the process. Now, Sullivan and his group need to set up the programs.
Melanie Willoughby
Executive director
Business Action Center
The role of the BAC was never more necessary than during the shutdowns of offices and businesses across the state.
Jerry Zaro
Chair, Banking and Real Estate Service Department
Sills Cummis & Gross
His background in infrastructure and transportation serves him well as one of the three trustees for the Gateway Development Corp.
