Three Chamber Board Members Honored for Spearheading Initiative to Ensure New Jersey Realizes its Full Potential in 2020 and Beyond

Three of the state’s top chief executives were honored April 29 by The Center for Civic Responsibility for convening a diverse group of private- and public-sector leaders for the purpose of developing and pledging to support an agenda of long-term initiatives that would ensure New Jersey continues being an economic leader and an ideal place to live for many years to come.

William Marino, president and CEO of Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield of New Jersey; Dennis Bone, president of Verizon New Jersey; and Ralph Izzo, chairman, president and CEO of Public Service Enterprise Group Incorporated, were presented the award for citizen leadership at a dinner at the Hyatt Regency in New Brunswick. The three men serve on the board of directors of the New Jersey Chamber of Commerce and co-chair the organization’s Cornerstone New Jersey – Vision 20/20 project, which consists of a nine-point series of initiatives that, if implemented, would position New Jersey as a regional and global leader. Participants are working collaboratively with state and local leaders to adopt initiatives that would make New Jersey an ideal place to live, work and do business by the year 2020 and beyond.

Joan Verplanck, president of the New Jersey Chamber of Commerce, said the three co-chairs being recognized “have led the Chamber to support policies that transcend special interests, promoting the initiatives simply because they are best for our state.” This is unique, she said, “because associations typically work in the here and now, pursuing their own short term goals.”

The priorities include investing in clean energy to support the green economy; ensuring New Jersey has an effective infrastructure for transportation, utilities and information data; “right-sizing” government and developing standards for measuring government accountability; and building an economy driven by innovation and education. The group is also focusing on encouraging citizen involvement in government; revitalizing cities and ensuring health care is affordable and accessible to all.

Cornerstone New Jersey developed the agenda during a two-day retreat in September. Participants included Gov. Jon Corzine, cabinet members, legislators from both sides of the aisle, as well as non-profit, civic and association leaders from New Jersey.

Bone, Izzo and Marino lead three of New Jersey’s most important companies, said Larry Downes, CEO of New Jersey Natural Gas, last year’s award winner. “Collectively, they are responsible for nearly a quarter of a million employees, over 87 million customers and more than $117 billion in revenue,” Downes said. “If that is not impressive enough, our honorees also are dedicated civic leaders helping to strengthen our communities, improve education, protect our environment, empower our future generations and elevate our state.”

The three men expressed appreciation for the award during brief acceptance speeches. “We share the understanding that progress cannot be made if we concern ourselves with partisan politics at the expense of forwarding a positive agenda for our state,” Bone said.

Izzo said, “The Vision 20/20 project is so important because it endorses the governor’s plans to capitalize on the intersection of the green environment and the green economy. It is great to see so many state leaders committed to creating a better New Jersey so that we can take advantage of all the positive benefits associated with engaging in these activities.”

And Marino said, “Our initiative’s work is to transform a vision into reality. With Cornerstone we are benchmarking New Jersey’s progress against our set goals and best practices in other states. Similarly, the Center is identifying best practices in governing as well as new leaders as it calls New Jersey to service.”

The three executives “have all been nothing less than groundbreaking in their civic leadership of the business community,” said Harry Pozycki, chairman of Center for Civic Responsibility & the Citizens’ Campaign.

May 2009