A stalwart of the New Jersey community, Marc Berson concludes his three-year term as Chair of the RWJBarnabas Health board of trustees at the end of this month. Berson’s tenure as board chair is said to be known as a transformational time of growth for the health care system.
A longstanding advocate for RWJBarnabas Health, Berson has served as chair of the board since 2019. He has also been chairman of Newark Beth Israel Medical Center and Children’s Hospital of New Jersey, both RWJBarnabas Health facilities.
Berson served as chair of Barnabas Health in 2016, when the merger of Barnabas Health and Robert Wood Johnson Health System formed RWJBarnabas Health. RWJBarnabas Health has since grown into a $6.5 billion health system, which routinely captures national awards for outstanding quality and safety, and its partnership with Rutgers University has formed New Jersey’s largest academic health care system.
“Marc’s influence goes well beyond the boardroom at RWJBarnabas Health. He cares deeply about our mission and has dedicated himself wholeheartedly to our organization for many years,” Barry Ostrowsky, CEO of RWJBarnabas Health, stated. “Marc not only helped to build our strategic vision, he was a true partner in executing on initiatives to improve health care delivery that continue to be transformative for our communities.”
An established entrepreneur, attorney and philanthropist with a focus in real estate development and operating manufacturing and service businesses, Berson is chairman of the Fidelco Group and of the Fidelco Realty Group, an owner-developer of residential, commercial, retail and industrial properties in the New Jersey, New York, Florida and Ohio markets, which he founded in 1981.
Capitalizing on Fidelco’s success developing distinct destinations in overlooked inner-city neighborhoods, Berson has invested in a wide range of properties in urban areas throughout the country, including in his birthplace and the center of his civic and philanthropic endeavors — Newark. Fidelco has been an active investor in residential, commercial and industrial properties requiring rehabilitation, repositioning and/or environmental remediation, for the benefit of local communities. Recognized for its diverse portfolio of properties, Fidelco is leader in redevelopment as well as new construction projects, with those completed or under development encompassing millions of square feet of property.
Berson is dedicated to serving the community through his involvement in numerous nonprofit and community organizations. He has played an integral role in supporting some of Newark’s key institutions, reflecting his longtime belief in and support of Newark’s resurgence. Berson received his bachelor’s degree from Rutgers College in New Brunswick and his J.D. from Rutgers School of Law in Newark.
“Marc has been a tremendous advocate for our community, championing our system’s social impact work and prioritizing health outside the hospital walls,” added Mark E. Manigan, president, RWJBarnabas Health. “We are incredibly grateful for his steady leadership and support for our teams and our communities throughout the COVID-19 pandemic and beyond. Marc is a true ambassador for RWJBarnabas Health.”
Berson will continue to serve as a member of the RWJBarnabas Health board and as chairman emeritus at Newark Beth Israel Medical Center.
