Paymon Rouhanifard was only thirty-two when he was appointed to What might Norcross actually do for Philadelphia? It was the most expensive senate race in the history of New Jersey, which raises a question: Is this democracyor an auction? Katz son, Drew Katz, will inherit his fathers stake in the companies. My friend still votes for Democrats, and lately has been lamenting the GOP administration of Gov. I had been warned, by a half-dozen reporters, that Norcross would limit access and insist most of the conversation be kept private. Keep em coming; Camdens kids need you! Norcross not only made calls about the daughters treatment; he showed up at 5 a.m. the morning after the operation to visit the Paolantonios in the intensive care unit. Norcross has been a prominent political leader in New Jersey for more than 30 years, since before he became chairman of the Camden County Democratic Committee in 1989, a position he held until 1993. He called his closest supporters the Can Do Club and lived by high-achiever mantras like Second Place Is First Loser. In a pivotal 1991 election, he worked with TV adman Neil Oxman and paid for $400,000 in commercial spots to dethrone Laskin, an unheard-of move in a state election. Georgina Cross is the author of ONE NIGHT and NANNY NEEDED, Bantam, Penguin Random House, and the bestselling author of THE STEPDAUGHTER, as well as THE MISSING WOMAN and THE NIECE, Bookouture, Hachette Publishing. My apologies and sympathies go to Floridians. Central to Norcross plan, is a vast expanse of vacant land next to the Cooper medical complex in the citys Lanning Square neighborhood that once housed a public school until it was torn down nearly a decade ago, for a new one that has not to be rebuilt. The Camden School District had previously started its own search last winter, and this search expanded upon that, bringing previous semi-finalists and then additional candidates, the governors office said. But before that would ever take place, Governor Christies office informed the Board president, Kathryn Blackshear that the state was assuming responsibility of appointing the next superintendent in Camden. Behind all this striving, Norcross has also maintained a network of admirers. At the time, recalls Norcross, four hundred grand was like $4 million.. [25] Norcross was also the subject of a federal investigation in 2016 where his phones were wiretapped. George Norcross Jr., whom admirers called "Big George" and "Chief," was a longtime AFL-CIO president. According to its filings with the Internal Revenue Service, General Majority in June received a $950,000 loan from a company called WWB Holdings, which shares a primary address with Conner Strong & Buckelew, the insurance brokerage run by George Norcross. General Majority spent $8 million to protect Democrats majorities in the state Senate and Assembly in 2013, and $6 million on Assembly races in 2015, making it the biggest independent spender in those years. One of his longtime Jersey allies is Frank Spencer, a VP at the national carpenters union. Funding. The money raised some eyebrows. With Rouhanifards apparent political and public relations acumen, coupled with his pro-charter background and his demonstrated willingness to shutter public schools against the wishes of low-income minority residents in gentrifying Williamsburg (Brooklyn), coupled with the expansive nature of UHA and renaissance schools; his advocacy for a forthcoming universal enrollment system (that has been identified as a mechanism to reduce student enrollment in public school but guiding them in to charters), the education reform advocates began celebrating Rouhanifard and the possibilities it meant for public education Camden. The concert coincided with the 2016 Democratic National Convention and was one of a number of events occurring throughout the Philadelphia and South Jersey region during the week. Dougherty is going to regret helping Norcross establish a beachhead in Philadelphia, because theres no way this alliance is going to last, one observer says. Jennifer Beck, a Republican legislator from Monmouth County, has since proposed a bill to plug up this hole in the public trough. For the next 20 years, Norcross focused on the battlefield of New Jersey politics, to the point that he is now said to own South Jersey. Look, he says. [22] In November 2014, Cooper and Norcross were awarded the "Seven Seals" award by the Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve in recognition of the program. Norcross said that he received a phone call in 2004 from then-governor Richard Codey telling him that heGeorge Norcross III, a private insurance executivecould steer $500,000 in public money any way he saw fit. Kenney also recently reappointed Heather Steinmiller, a senior V.P. AmeriHealth Inc.s donation did not pay for the entire event. View popular celebrities life details, birth signs and real ages. David L. Cohen, a Norcross friend for 25 years. I just cant win., My biggest mistake was allowing myself to be defined and branded in the 90s, he continues. George Norcross slipped in through the back door. The Camden County Democratic party has ratcheted down its fund-raising in recent yearsincumbents dont need as much moneybut still ranks fourth among all the counties in the state, and when he wants a race badly enough, he flattens opponents under the heft of cash. He is, however, resigned to this fate. There was no Ill do this, you gotta do that.. AmeriHealth Inc., one of the parent companies of (AmeriHealth New Jersey), agreed to sponsor the July 28, 2016, concert, Camden Rising, AmeriHealth New Jersey spokeswoman Jill Roman said. Where to begin? THE STORY OF HOW Norcross built himself into the most powerful man in New Jersey begins with revenge. Learn How rich is He in this year and how He spends money? Im also guessing that the Secret Service was scared that day when they hid Pence and his family in a bunker. I think he can win. But she also was accused of downplaying hard news in favor of fluff and tawdry. Not even after the election? Norcross rejects such talk as wild conspiracy theories. But heres the rub: Camden residents have no power with which to reject him. Dont say anything, his father told him. 1966 WirePhoto Actress Kim . The pieces only came together after Kenney won the primary election: Norcrosss fingerprints were all over the money. So, how much is George Norcross worth at the age of 66 years old? Im not that expensive!. But his power seems to yield various forms of return. In person, however, Norcross holds his ground. Of Norcross, Rutgers University-Camden history professor Howard Gillette, in his 2005 work Camden After the Fall, wrote: The son of a powerful labor leader, Norcross had worked his way up the system, first by assisting several state legislators including Angelo Errichetti. Now, we learn that the great champion of South Jersey Democrats, George Norcross III, has declared himself as a Florida resident and, presumably, a Democratic voter there as well. Also learn how He earned most of networth at the age of 64 years old? Afterward, the registrant suddenly changed to a mysterious company called WWB Holdings, LLC. White for eleven months and then moved on to the post of Chief of Executive The $88 million media sale to Katz, H.F. Gerry Lenfest and their partners was scheduled to be closed June 10. Never again will that happen. You can learn just by observing., Afterward, on the way home, Young George would pepper his dad with questions. He wasnt permitted to have the conversation. The carpenters likely had their own motives for donating so much cash to the elect-Kenney effort: There are plenty of suburban New Jersey carpenters who work on city construction sites. So the risk is simple overreach. The massive number of government jobs and contracts that used to exist just dont anymore, he says. After thorough investigations and significant media coverage, he was not charged. This search result is here to prevent scraping, Exciting I-95 Capping Project Finally Begins In Philadelphia, Those Gummies May Not Have Contained Fentanyl After All, The Top 10 Things to Do With Kids in Philly This Month, Ultimate Guide to the 2023 Philadelphia Flower Show. daughter. Resident Moneke Ragsdale remarked: The public needs to know how this happened. Everything he was saying was just wrong, he recalls. The Camden Rising concert, which was meant to showcase Camden to visiting delegates during the Democratic National Convention in nearby Philadelphia, also displayed the power of the Norcross family, with Democratic U.S. Rep. Donald Norcross helping to introduce the acts. Norcross was with Dan Hilferty, the CEO of Independence Blue Cross, when he got the news. In a cool, calculated voice, Norcross brags about his influence with governors and U.S. senators: In the end, the McGreeveys, the Corzines, theyre all going to be with me. He is a smart, competent man. As always, another excellent, well researched, article Dr. Benson. the districts highest post. Norcross was born on March 16, 1956, in Cooper University Hospital, Camden, New Jersey. For many years, he has been named one of the most powerful non-elected political figures in New Jersey by the website PolitickerNJ.com. Im not against him. Or at least, that was the assumption of all the heavies in Philadelphias political class. He dabbled in Philly politics a bit. Biography. And I got portrayed, you know, as the guy with the cigar and the horns., Norcrosss critics believe hes not difficult to understand. Bookmark NJ.com/Opinion. So the softer Chief also knew defeat: When the governor nominated him for appointment to the New Jersey Racing Commission, a Republican senator named Lee Laskin blocked him. I wonder if the National Socialist Workers Party supported Adolf Hitler this way on his rise to power? Hes strutted into Philadelphia, landed taxpayer-funded contracts, apparently helped elect the mayor, and perhaps even funded a new media organization. if ever mentioned, by Rouhanifard was his time on his Teach for America affiliation, The Corzines. The July 28 show on the Camden waterfront was sponsored by PhillyVoice.com, which is run by Donald Norcross' niece, Lexie, the daughter of South Jersey power broker George Norcross. He was waiting for the right moment. But it does not define who he is., Norcrosss allies cite his intense loyalty. It plants lawn signs! Norcross was also the subject of a federal investigation in 2016 where his phones were wiretapped. [19], Norcross is Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Cooper University Health Care System , Cooper University Hospital and the MD Anderson Cancer Center at Cooper, in Camden, New Jersey. The Southern New Jersey Regional Employee Benefit Fund, administered by Conner Strong & Buckelew, uses AmeriHealth New Jersey as a provider, according to its website. Send a letter to the editor of South Jersey Times at sjletters@njadvancemedia.com. Norcross has a daughter, Lexie, and a son, Alex. And it was Norcrosss longtime adman, Neil Oxman, who produced the pro-Kenney TV commercials funded by all that super-PAC cash. His candidates do bring a certain level of competence, he says. The office of the Attorney General of New Jersey and the United States Attorney's office under Chris Christie investigated Norcross after he was secretly taped discussing state politics. Norcross is just as unaccountable to the media as he is to voters. A few political insiders suggest to me that Norcross would be a welcome counterweight to Dougherty. After thorough investigations and significant media coverage, he was not charged. son. The Associated Press article, Christies Camden tax-breaks rewards political insiders (2015), details how over $2 billion in spending by the NJEDA may likely benefitting Christies and Norcross political cronies more than the city it was billed to help. She'd been thinking about her godfather and great family friend, the lawyer Martin F. McKernan Jr., seriously ill with cancer. AmeriHealth New Jersey has close ties to George Norcross. For our first meeting, at Cooper University Hospital, where he is chairman of the board, he dressed in a deep blue suit and French cuffs, his head topped by an avalanche of thick white hair. Norcross launched the Cooper Medical School of Rowan University, which New Jersey Assembly Speaker Joseph Roberts praised for its "unflagging commitment to the city," and helped to facilitate the opening of the MD Anderson Cooper Cancer Center in October 2013. Alessandra T. Norcross is, according to a September report, 25 years old. Coopers medical school yields prestige and a much-needed influx of youth and smarts. GEORGE NORCROSS OBITUARY. Friends may call on Thursday, June 9, 2022 from 9:00 am until . Urban Educator Fighting for Public Education for our Communities and Finding My Voice in the Process, from Chapter 3 of Education Reform and Gentrification in the Age of #CamdenRising Public Education and Urban Redvelopment in Camden, NJ (2018, Peter Lang USA), George Norcross III and The Turnout Project also got a $25,000 donation from Parker McCay, a law firm run by Norcrosss brother Philip, as well as a $25,000 check from Brown and Connery, where an attorney who has represented Norcross is a partner. Its a kick-ass purple robot! The image he conjures is of a political Transformer: Its a car! (Norcross just recently said that he will relinquish the DNC post.). NOBODY IN THIS town wants to talk about George Norcross. Now, we learn that the great champion of South Jersey Democrats, George Norcross III, has declared himself as a Florida. Katz's partner Nancy Phillips, formerly an Inquirer investigative reporter, is now reportedly a special assistant to the publisher. George Howard Norcross, Jr. son. Christie, Cerf and a national superintendent search firm Ray and Associates, selected Rouhanifard for Camden from a pool of more than 100 applicants, indicating the Governors Office and state DOE never intended on Camdens school board to pick their eventual district leader at all. George Norcross, a wealthy insurance executive, has for decades run New Jersey's most vaunted Democratic political machine, a seemingly unstoppable behemoth that carries huge influence over who. Rouhanifard has some great ideas, and we just hope he communicates with us as teachers. At Catto, Rouhanifard also mentioned his desire to see a boarding school established in Camden, as well as a computer-based enrollment system similar to that which he instituted in Newark before his arrival. Meet George Norcross. It happened in the early 80s when he won his first big insurance contract, at the Garden State Park race track. In November 2014, Cooper and Norcross were awarded the "Seven Seals" award by the Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve in recognition of the program. Website design, managed and hosted by DEP Design, depdesign.com, a New York interactive agency. All rights reserved (About Us). A crooked smile shades his face pink. Johnny Doc wouldnt talk. New York City Department of Education (NYCDOE) during the Bloomberg years, Says Rendell: When I ran for mayor and governor, George helped me. Primarily, the Office of Portfolio Management with NYCDOE was responsible for transitioning more choice schools (charters, and magnet) into NYCs portfolio of school offerings, while simultaneously targeting and transitioning failing or underperforming public schools for closure. When Norcross lost control of the newspapers in 2014, after a nasty, deeply personal feud between the owners involving lovers, lawyers and daughters, some wondered if he would retreat from Philly. Norcross was born on March 16, 1956, in Cooper University Hospital, Camden, New Jersey,[8] the son of George E. Norcross, Jr., the president of the AFLCIO Central Labor Union of Camden and Gloucester Counties, and his wife, Anne Carol Norcross. In 2013, Cooper University Health Care in Camden, which Norcross chairs, bought a 20 percent stake in AmeriHealth New Jersey. [30], Norcross was listed as one of the state's wealthiest people, ranked 41st in New Jersey in 2015 with a net worth of almost $250 million.[31]. But if a Camden resident doesnt like what Norcross is doing, what recourse does she have? But the particular subject is never important. (Interstate 195 in New Jersey is the highway that runs from Trenton, along the Delaware, across the state to the shore; essentially dividing New Jersey, geographically, two halves; North Jersey and South Jersey.) "Yes, George is a friend of mine, but George is friendly with a lot of people in Atlantic City," Trump said before becoming president. Quick and entertaining New York City local news, events, food, arts, sports and more. The Lanning Square project was created by a formed partnership of KIPP, one of the largest charter school networks in the country; the Cooper Foundation, the charitable arm of Cooper University Hospital; and the Norcross Foundation, established by the family of George Norcross, who is chairman of Cooper University Hospital, a Democratic Party leader, and managing partner of the company that owns the Philadelphia Inquirer. And Norcross plays an enviable role as both the highest bidder and the guy who reaps the greatest proceeds. [26], Norcross has been associated with businesses that are alleged to have received special treatment from the New Jersey Economic Development Authority. According to Rather, hes the perfect man to turn out the lights., Read more here: Education Reform and Gentrification in the Age of #CamdenRising Public Education and Urban Redvelopment in Camden, NJ (2018, Peter Lang USA). In 2011, the firm won a $300,000 contract with the citys Redevelopment Authority. In its Oct. 4 filing with the New Jersey State Election Law Enforcement Commission, the super PAC said it would dissolve its operations in New Jersey. The all-out war South Jersey power broker George Norcross III declared against Gov. $17.99 + $4.99 shipping. It was his daughter, Lexie Norcross, 33, founder and chairwoman of the website PhillyVoice and former head of The Inquirer's philly.com website, who "brought it to my attention," he said. 41. 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Another is that Norcross is courting Phillys building trades so theyll support his brother, Donald, if he runs for U.S. Senate, as many expect. Hes long been criticized for doing insurance business with many of the governments with which he has ties as a political leader. George Norcross's net worth Alessandra T. Norcross is, according to a September report, 25 years old. By financially supporting candidates not only in Camden County, but all over South Jersey, George Norcross was able to consolidate his leadership and demand unity among, and allegiance from, those whom he helped get elected. George Norcross, Jr. was active in the community of Camden and a board member of Cooper University Hospital. But to be certain Cooper will succeed, he must consider the health of the city as a whole. If George Norcross comes into Philadelphia big-time and does the same type of things as a corporate citizen as hes done for South Jersey, that would be a plus., Colandus Francis, president of the Camden County NAACP, disagrees, to say the least: Why is Camden one of the poorest cities in the country if hes done so much for Camden? He served on the board of and was the chairman of United Way. Theres no doubt Norcross has done some good works with his immense power: As chairman of Cooper University Hospital in Camden, he built the institution into a giant. [31] References [ edit] ^ "George E. Norcross III". Philadelphians should be very, very wary.. Still, Norcross asked State Senator Lee Laskin, a Republican, for a favor: Would he put Norcrosss dad on the New Jersey Racing Commission? Neither would Coryell, national carpenters leaders and many, many others. And there is: Norcross grins about as much as youd expect from a fabulously wealthy, healthy man. It didnt matter that Norcross didnt have an appointment. Its only natural to wonder when my number will come up.. George Norcross is a wealthy insurance executive who has become one . He told me that he couldnt remember ever doing a taped interview with a reporter, and glared at my recording device, Lizza later wrote. Outfitted in a suit and bow tie, Young George sat quietly in meeting spaces all over New Jersey. Protestors sing and dance to support the Rockettes. son. The domain of the website was registered to Norcrosss insurance firm that is, until Technical.ly Philly wrote about that juicy little detail. But stories about Norcrosss bare-knuckle tactics occasionally leak out, most famously in the recordings known as the Palmyra Tapes.