12.28.2006
NEW JERSEY HALL OF FAME ANNOUNCES 25 NOMINEES FOR INAUGURAL CLASS OF INDUCTEES

EAST RUTHERFORD, NJ – Thomas Edison, Bruce Springsteen, Frank Sinatra, Althea Gibson, Vince Lombardi – these are five of the final 25 nominees announced recently for election to the first class of the New Jersey Hall of Fame, a new museum dedicated to celebrating the leaders and legends associated with the state.

“We have so many big names from New Jersey,” said Bart Oates, former New York Giant captain who now heads up the Hall of Fame Board, “that it was difficult paring it down to the top 25. The list of those who didn’t make it, including Paul Robeson, Philip Roth, Count Basie and Bon Jovi, is just as impressive as those who did.”

Not only will the New Jersey Hall of Fame honor those who have made significant contributions to the state, the country and in many cases the world, it will also provide important role models for young people. The board plans to raise funds and construct a museum which will be a learning center where visitors can learn about those who have excelled and made a difference. Currently, the Hall exists only on the Web.

The nominees are:
In arts & entertainment, Abbott & Costello, Jerry Lewis, Frank Sinatra, Bruce Springsteen and Meryl Streep.

In sports, Yogi Berra, Bill Bradley, Larry Doby, Althea Gibson and Vince Lombardi.

In history, Clara Barton, Thomas Edison, Albert Einstein, Walt Whitman and Woodrow Wilson.

In enterprise, Buzz Aldrin, Malcolm Forbes, Robert Wood Johnson, Mary Roebling and David Sarnoff.

In a general category, Justice William Brennan, F. Scott Fitzgerald, Toni Morrison, General Norman Schwarzkopf and Harriet Tubman.

The public can vote for their selections to The New Jersey Hall of Fame on-line at www.njhalloffame.com. The winners will be announced in the spring and then inducted into the Hall of Fame at a gala ceremony in the fall of 2007. The major sponsors for the Hall of Fame include the New Jersey Sports and Exhibition Authority, J.H. Cohn LLC and sanofi-aventis. # # # # #

12.11.2006
NEW JERSEY HALL OF FAME TOUTS 25 NOMINEES FOR INAUGURAL CLASS OF INDUCTEES
Public voting runs through February 28, 2007

EAST RUTHERFORD, NJ – The New Jersey Hall of Fame recently announced 25 nominees in five categories as the new institution celebrated the rich history and legacy of the state. Leaders and legends in the categories of Arts & Entertainment, Sports, Historical, Enterprise (comprising business and technology) and General, ranging from Clara Barton to Bruce Springsteen, all share one common denominator: a close relationship to New Jersey.

The Hall of Fame nomination process began several months ago when a panel of experts, comprised of university professors, scientists, editors, authors and other authorities, compiled a list of more than 100 potential Hall of Famers. That list was organized into five categories and presented to the Voting Academy, which is the executive steering committee for the Hall of Fame. The Voting Academy is made up of approximately 100 of the state’s most prominent organizations as well as former Governors. The honorary chairman of the Academy is the Governor.

"The success and influence of these New Jersey Hall of Fame nominees is indeed extraordinary," said Governor Jon S. Corzine. "People of all ages can be inspired by these great individuals and we all can learn from their accomplishments."

The Voting Academy in turn selected the top five nominees in each category. In the field of Arts & Entertainment, the nominees are Abbott & Costello, Jerry Lewis, Frank Sinatra, Bruce Springsteen and Meryl Streep. In Sports, the list includes Yogi Berra, Bill Bradley, Larry Doby, Althea Gibson and Vince Lombardi. In Historical, the nominees are Cara Barton, Thomas Edison, Albert Einstein, Walt Whitman and Woodrow Wilson. In Enterprise, the nominees are Buzz Aldrin, Malcolm Forbes, Robert Wood Johnson, Mary Roebling and David Sarnoff. And in the General Category, the nominees are Justice William Brennan, F. Scott Fitzgerald, Toni Morrison, General Norman Schwarzkopf and Harriet Tubman.

Now it’s the public’s turn to vote. Through February 28, 2007, the public can vote on-line at the Hall of Fame website which is www.njhalloffame.com, or through ballots which are available at participating diners, supermarkets and convenience stores across the state. To encourage voting, the Hall of Fame is offering some exciting prizes including choice tickets to any concert at the Meadowlands.

Although supported only by private funds, the Hall of Fame is operating under the auspices of the New Jersey Sports and Exposition Authority (NJSEA). The museum is overseen by a Hall of Fame Advisory Commission, comprised of the former Board of Directors of the Sports Hall of Fame.

“Not only will the Hall of Fame pay homage to the extraordinary people who have made New Jersey their home,” explains Bart Oates, Chairman of the Commission and captain of the 1986 Super Bowl champion New York Giants, “we also expect the museum will eventually become a first choice destination for school trips and families once built.”

While the Hall of Fame will initially be a virtual museum, it is slated to be constructed at the Meadowlands in East Rutherford, but the funds have to be raised first. “With the help of private supporters, we intend to raise the money to build a first class museum, befitting the amazingly accomplished individuals we will be honoring,” said Oates.

The prominent consulting and accounting firm J.H. Cohn, LLP has taken the lead in providing much needed support in the establishment of the New Jersey Hall of Fame. “We are proud to be one of the early champions of this celebration of great men and women. It will be here that young people can find role models to inspire them as they grow to become productive members of society,” said Thomas J. Marino, CEO, J.H. Cohn, LLP.

Other sponsors include the NJSEA and sanofi-aventis.

The public can vote for their selections to The New Jersey Hall of Fame on-line at www.njhalloffame.com. The winners will be announced in the spring of 2007.
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NEW JERSEY HALL OF FAME 2007 NOMINEES

Historical

Thomas Edison (Newark; Menlo Park; West Orange) Considered the most prolific inventor in history.

Albert Einstein (Princeton) Regarded as the most important scientist of the twentieth century; awarded the 1921 Nobel Prize for Physics.

Woodrow Wilson (Princeton) The 28th president of the United States as well as Governor of the State of New Jersey.

Walt Whitman (Camden) Considered by many to be the most influential poet in U.S. history.

Clara Barton (Bordentown)) Created New Jersey’s first free public school and founded the American Red Cross.

Enterprise

Buzz Aldrin (Montclair) Along with Neil Armstrong became one of the first two humans to walk on the moon.

David Sarnoff (Princeton; Camden) Considered the father of the modern broadcast era, both radio and television.

Mary G. Roebling (Trenton) Broke the glass ceiling for women in business in general and in the financial services industry specifically.

Robert Wood Johnson II (New Brunswick; Highland Park; Raritan) President & Chairman of Johnson & Johnson; created the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation.

Malcolm Forbes (Far Hills; Princeton) Famous publisher of Forbes Magazine and noted philanthropist.

Arts & Entertainment

Jerry Lewis (Newark) Respected actor, comedian, film producer, writer, film director and philanthropist.

Frank Sinatra (Hoboken) One of New Jersey’s best known celebrities; considered by many as the finest male popular song vocalist of all time.

Bruce Springsteen (Freehold; Asbury Park) Multiple Grammy Award winning singer/songwriter/guitarist; Rock & Roll Hall of Fame inductee.

Meryl Streep (Bedminster) Considered by many to be the greatest living film actress; more Academy Award nominations than anyone else.

Bud Abbott (Asbury Park) & Lou Costello (Paterson) Famed comedy duo whose routines transcended the vaudeville stage into radio and television.

Sports

Yogi Berra (Montclair) Hall of Fame New York Yankee; played on 10 World Championship teams.

Bill Bradley (Princeton) Three-time All-American basketball player, NBA star and U. S. Senator.

Larry Doby (Paterson) Second African-American Major League Baseball player and first in the American League.

Althea Gibson (East Orange) First African-American to win a Grand Slam Tennis Event when she captured French Open in 1956.

Vince Lombardi (Englewood) Coached the Green Bay Packers to five NFL Titles and two Super Bowl Crowns.

General

William J. Brennan (Newark). Highly respected jurist; U.S. Supreme Court Justice from 1956-1990.

Gen. Norman Schwarzkopf, Jr. (Trenton) One of the most distinguished military leaders of the 20th Century.

F. Scott Fitzgerald (Hackensack; Princeton) Regarded as one of the greatest American writers of the 20th Century.

Toni Morrison (Princeton) Popular and highly respected author; awarded the Nobel Prize for Literature and the Pulitzer Prize.

Harriet Tubman (Cape May) One of the great figures involved with the Underground Railroad during the time of slavery.

12.11.2006
NEW JERSEY HALL OF FAME ON THE FAST TRACK

EAST RUTHERFORD, NJ – The New Jersey Hall of Fame has been on a fast track since it was created by bi-partisan legislation and signed into law by former Governor Richard J. Codey on September 22, 2005. Charged with paying homage to the many extraordinary people who have made New Jersey their home, the Hall of Fame will eventually become a major museum in the state.

Although supported only by private funds, the Hall of Fame is operating under the auspices of the New Jersey Sports and Exposition Authority (NJSEA). The museum is overseen by a Hall of Fame Advisory Commission, comprised of the former Board of Directors of the Sports Hall of Fame. The members of the Commission have accepted the challenge.

“Once the New Jersey Hall of Fame was legislated,” explains Bart Oates, Chairman of the Commission and captain of the 1986 Super Bowl champion New York Giants, “we recognized the wonderful opportunity we had to create something special for the people of New Jersey.”

Meeting monthly, the Commission organized a plan to come up with the first class of inductees by mid 2007. Additionally, the goal was to engage to people of the state in the selection of Hall of Fame candidates.

“We hammered out a selection process,” said Oates, “and then set about attracting the most prominent organizations in the state to serve on a Steering Committee, which we have started calling our Academy, after the Academy Awards. We felt that the Academy Awards gave us a good role model to follow.”

The Commission has initially divided the Hall of Fame into five categories: sports; arts and entertainment; history; enterprise, which consists of business, science, technology, religious and military figures; and a general category to capture those not covered by the other categories. “We are learning as we go,” said Randy R. Beverly, Sr., vice chairman of the Commission and defensive star for the 1968 Super Bowl champion New York Jets. “There are only two active Halls of Fame in the United States, South Dakota and South Carolina, so we have to turn to other museums for guidance. We may add other categories in the future.”

The initial rosters of potential Hall of Famers has been compiled by an extensive Expert Advisory Panel, made up of experts drawn from the ranks of universities, journalists and other noted leaders. These rosters will be reviewed for accuracy – the only requirement is a five-year residency, although exceptions may be made – and then will go to the Academy for narrowing.

Narrowing won’t be an easy task due to the impressive numbers of Jersey greats. Once you get passed the biggest names – Frank Sinatra, Bruce Springsteen, and Thomas Edison – there are literally dozens of greats to choose from.

“The process that is underway now, is to be commended for its fairness, inclusion, and fiscal responsibility,” said George R. Zoffinger, President and CEO of the NJSEA. “Upon its completion, the HOF will provide New Jerseyans with a renewed sense of pride."

The Commission’s goal is to have five nominees in each category, although ten in arts and entertainment is more likely given the huge numbers of exceptional New Jerseyans in that category. “We expect to have larger classes of inductees for the first few years,” explains Oates, “because we are trying to populate a major museum quickly.”

The final voting will go to the public sometime in the fall through the Hall of Fame website. This strategy has placed great importance on publicity. To that end, the Commission has approved a marketing strategy and has set about raising money to implement the strategy.

“Not only is the Hall of Fame an important way to promote pride in the accomplishments of New Jerseyans, it also will be a resource for young people to learn about role models,” says Steve Edwards, a major proponent of the Hall. “That’s why education is such an important part of our efforts.”

Education is so important that the New Jersey Education Association is sponsoring a Hall of Fame essay contest, challenging students to nominate potential inductees to the Hall in a 500-word essay. There will be winners in three age categories – primary, intermediate and high school – with a selection of prizes ranging from scholarship money and gift certificates to tickets for events at the Meadowlands. The essays are due soon after the start of school in the fall.

“Whether the nominee is Walt Whitman from Camden or Philip Roth from Newark, we are hoping to engage the people of our great state in a conversation about who belongs in the Hall of Fame,” says Don Jay Smith, spokesperson for the museum. “Launching this museum will be a lot of fun for everyone and we hope will encourage discussion and debate about who belongs in the Hall. The amazing list of potential inductees will make all of us proud to be from New Jersey.”

The New Jersey Hall of Fame website at www.njhalloffame.com has lots of information about the museum. Updates are posted regularly.


# # # # # EDITOR’S NOTE: For more information or to arrange interviews, please call Don Jay Smith, 908-832-1020.

10.13.2006
NEW JERSEY HALL OF FAME TO PROMOTE JERSEY PRIDE

Albert Einstein, Walt Whitman, Frank Sinatra and Althea Gibson * they all considered New Jersey their home and now the state is intending to honor them in return. The New Jersey Hall of Fame, created by bi-partisan legislation in 2005, has been on a fast track for the past year on its way to becoming an important statewide museum, celebrating the accomplishments of New Jerseyans who have made a significant contribution to our society.

The Hall of Fame is projected to be a source of inspiration for people young and old. Led by an advisory commission, the new museum has been working to ensure that the state's most deserving citizens both past and present will be recognized, initially in a virtual museum on the web, but eventually in a beautiful building.

The first step for the Hall of Fame commission was to call on experts to compile a list of nominees in five areas - historical, arts & entertainment, sports, enterprise and a general category. In late summer, leaders from the state's most prominent organizations served on the Hall of Fame Academy and narrowed the list for final public voting which begins in November. The first class of winners will be inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2007 in a grand celebration, which will become an annual event held in different parts of the state.
The winning students’ nominations will be forwarded to the New Jersey Hall of Fame Board of Commissioners for consideration. The Board of Commissioners will review nominees and ultimately select Hall of Fame inductees.

For more information and to cast a vote, everyone is invited to visit the HOF website at www.njhalloffame.com