It was the most expensive senate race in the history of New Jersey, which raises a question: Is this democracyor an auction? How dark horse Norcross went from selling insurance at the - NJBIZ The McGreeveys. South Jersey business magnate George E. Norcross III and his family will become majority partners of a longtime Atlantic City bread and submarine roll maker next month. 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. With the passing of the UHA and the renaissance schools that resulted, Norcross was able to execute his plan for influencing public education in Camden as well. He is chairman of the board of trustees for Cooper University Health Care System and Cooper University Hospital both in Camden, New Jersey, and has served as a trustee since 1990. He also communicated that from his tour, parents did not care about the charter or public designation, but that they only want good schools for their children a theme Rouhanifard repeated often during his initial public meetings. But stories about Norcrosss bare-knuckle tactics occasionally leak out, most famously in the recordings known as the Palmyra Tapes. The junior Katz is also the CEO of the similarly named Interstate Outdoor Advertising. But a lot of people I care about are, so in deference to them, I wouldnt want to say anything negative. 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. I stayed in the background because I thought thats what political bosses did. Norcross was little more than a regional player 30 years ago. Follow on Twitter @NJ_Opinion and find NJ.com Opinion on Facebook. He might even have been prosecuted a decade ago if not for a bungled criminal investigation. George Norcross' daughter, Alessandra, a director of the parent company of the Inquirer, is an officer of the foundation and a board member of KCNA." Further, both residents and reporters paid specific attention to the proposed, and eventual, location of the KCNA and the history regarding the demolition and refusal to rebuild the public . Norcross was born on March 16, 1956, in Cooper University Hospital, Camden, New Jersey. But it does not define who he is., Norcrosss allies cite his intense loyalty. 1966 Wirephoto Don Hull executive director the AAU spoke to Glenn Davis There were two other super PACs in the race, both of which supported Kenney, but they got far less attention from the media. As for meeting Norcross's wife of 20 years, -Sandy, or their eight-year-old son, Alex no. It took one night for the. He has served as a Cooper trustee since 1990. 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. What was rarely, 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 person, however, Norcross holds his ground. At the time, recalls Norcross, four hundred grand was like $4 million.. But in a surprising restraint in instigative zealousness of corruption involving public officials, in 2006, Christie refused to pursue corruption charges against Norcross despite him being investigated by the state and the Securities and Exchange Commission in years prior. Though Norcross was never accused of wrongdoing, the tapes are chilling. If you're a scraper, please click the link below :-) As the years passed, Norcross sometimes joked that he was different enough from his dadfierce and ambitious, where the Chief was gentle and content; feared, where his dad was belovedthat he wondered if he had been adopted or left on the doorstep. childhood, that he and his family were Iranian refugees escaping religious Rouhanifard assumed the positions of Chief of Staff to Deputy Chancellor John the NYCDOE website, the OPM, Office of School Design and Charter Partnerships Norcrosss critics remain fixated on these sorts of stories. According to Vail Daily, Neil's grandfather, John, was a partner in a Denver law firm. And it sure looks like President Donald Trump and NJ political boss George Norcross really have a lot in common! It is widely suspected that Christie, prior to his run for New Jersey Governor, struck deals with critical Democratic power brokers in the state, Joe DiVincenzo, County Executive of Essex County, and Norcross of South Jersey, to forward his own gubernatorial ambitions. Use of and/or registration on any portion of this site constitutes acceptance of our User Agreement, Privacy Policy and Cookie Statement, and Your Privacy Choices and Rights (each updated 1/26/2023). He could work in politics, insurance, bomb building, or the construction of a better mousetrap, and hed enjoy the same electric charge emanating from the same place. Officer in the Office of Portfolio Management (OPM). New York City Department of Education (NYCDOE) during the Bloomberg years, . Nowadays, Trump definitely has that kind of power and . persecution, how their familys assets were frozen, that he and his family they Protestors sing and dance to support the Rockettes. Look, he says, the report itself says nothing happened that was illegal.. Never heard of George Norcross? Here's why you need to. George Norcross Obituary - Tribute Archive On the Palmyra Tapes, between venomous howls, he sounds compelleda man overwhelmed by his own pace; Im up at four oclock in the morning to go to North Jersey to attend meetings, he says on the tapes. speeches highlighting his time teaching in a primary school in a low-income, at Norcrosss firm, to the board of the Convention Center. 162, No. She cant vote him out. At the podium, hes upbeat and charming. George Norcross slipped in through the back door. A few months after the primary, Kenney was the featured guest at a fund-raiser for Norcrosss brother, U.S. Representative Donald Norcross. This is George Norcross were talking about the widely feared, fantastically wealthy all-powerful boss of the South Jersey Democratic Party and when George Norcross wants a meeting, he gets a meeting. According to 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. It truly would be near impossible to overstate the political reach and influence Norcross exerts in the state. Many South Jersey residents who were familiar with Christie, and his visible role as New Jerseys primary public crime fighter, found his leniency toward Norcross, a man to who many long have suspected of being a corrupt public actor, in word curious. He pores over the relevant data and, like a military commander, plots out a campaign that will bring victory. Its a kick-ass purple robot! His daughter, Lexie Norcross, helped run the Philly.com website, which often uses celebrity news and other teasers to draw online clicks. high-poverty New York City borough where he noticed children with a strong After a five-hour court hearing about the injunction, Norcross lost and within minutes, the report was made public. No city, let alone one with Camdens crime problems, has ever replaced half its force with such speed before. Democratic power broker George E. Norcross III and his business partners have invested in projects along Camden's Delaware River waterfront that have benefited from nearly $290 million in tax credits and other incentives from the state. But AmeriHealth Inc., the parent company of the health insurer AmeriHealth New Jersey, donated $1 million to a super PAC that has spent millions to help Democratic lawmakers. Norcross has also benefited from his connections to the Delaware River Port Authority. Goldman Sachs and as an associate at AEA Investors, LP on Wall St. From there, Tierney returns, Lexie Norcross out at Inquirer parent Camden loses again in George Norcross and Sue Altman power battle George E. Norcross, III (born March 16, 1956) is an American businessman and a Democratic Party organiser and power broker in New Jersey. Community Rules apply to all content you upload or otherwise submit to this site. 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. They all will work with me, not because they like me, but because they have no choice. Despite having access to recorded evidence of Norcross trying to manipulate public hiring decision and contracts, Christie refused to pursue any investigation against Norcross despite the insistence of two NJ assistant attorneys general attesting to the validity of their investigation. Just a few weeks before the election, a New Jersey-based PAC called the Carpenters Fund for Growth and Progress donated $750,000 to a PAC called the Turnout Project. Norcross, in his statement, said the three companies at the tower, known as Triad1828 Centre, and their leaders "have invested more . John, son of John Norcross, Ribchester. Hes not. The daughter of famous/notorious South Jersey Democratic political boss and newly minted owner of both papers George Norcross is listed on the masthead as a "Director" of Interstate General Media LLC. The material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached or otherwise used, except with the prior written permission of Advance Local. [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. Katz son, Drew Katz, will inherit his fathers stake in the companies. Then Kenney, fresh off his private chat with a walking, talking embodiment of the one percent, took the stage, and his kaleidoscopic mix of supporters went nuts: prominent African-Americans and white working-class voters, LGBT leaders and immigrants, millennial fanboys and old heads. Powerful Democrat to Murphy: You should expect a Democratic - nj But his other moves in Philly went largely unnoticed: That same year, Norcrosss insurance company opened a new headquarters in Two Liberty Place, right around the corner from City Hall. And as far as many carpenters were concerned, Philly carpenters boss Ed Coryell had gone off the reservation. George Norcross is a wealthy insurance executive who has become one . 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. Not even close. Bob Brady, characteristically blunt, says of Norcross: He invested in Jimmy Kenney for mayor. He then adds, without prompting, Ive known Jimmy all my life. 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. And what is that, if not an old-school Tammany Hall-style political machine? In 2014, it landed yet another contract, worth $660,000, with the Philadelphia Housing Authority. In February 2012, Norcross penned an op-ed in the Courier-Post that called for the merger of Rowan University and Rutgers-Camden, positing it could be a "catalyst for the kind of renaissance that could make South Jersey an epicenter of intellectual and economic success for decades." Its not clear whether it will once again set up shop later this year. That PAC in turn quickly cut a $725,000 check to yet another super PAC Building a Better Pa. That was the Dougherty-tied PAC supporting Kenney for mayor. But, Trump should look in the mirror and say this slogan to himself. If you're a human and see this, please ignore it. 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. But he also grimaces. The apparatus Norcross speaks of adapts to win. Norcross buys rare Declaration of Independence to honor family friend was tasked with: Developing and implementing structural changes to the portfolio of NYC schools in order to address systemic inequities and improve access to high performing schools. Norcross also runs the insurance firm Conner Strong & Buckelew, which has helped make him a millionaire many times over, partly from the lucrative contracts it has won from government entities across New Jersey. If you purchase a product or register for an account through one of the links on our site, we may receive compensation. Building on his labor and political connections, Norcross developed an insurance business that gave him the financial leverage to help Democratic politics in Camden County. Phil Murphy this week won't just be a battle of words between the two Democrats. Coopers medical school yields prestige and a much-needed influx of youth and smarts. I think if you know George and you spend time around him, says one longtime friend, attorney Arthur Makadon, its obvious that hes just a man who is looking over his shoulder., George Norcross Jr., whom admirers called Big George and Chief, was a longtime AFL-CIO president. 42 (Extensions of Remarks - March 16, 2016)", "George Norcross Jr., Labor And Civic Leader", "Carol C. Norcross, 84, advocate for seniors, matriarch of a powerful South Jersey family", "Norcross to be sworn in to House seat on Wednesday", "Philadelphia Restauranteur Plans to Open Two Restaurants Along Camden Waterfront", "MD Anderson Cancer Center at Cooper Celebrates Five Years", "Cooper honored for its Veterans VIP program", Partnership of Rowan University and Rutgers-Camden, "George Norcross: The good works of the Dark Lord (Moran)", "U.S. Attorney ends speculation about Norcross", "Attorney Kevin Sheehan is Mentioned in Reference to "Unregistered Lobbying" Found by NJEDA Task Force", "Judge Rules Against George Norcross Efforts to Stop NJEDA Task Force", "Governor's Task Force on EDA Tax Incentives", "George E. Norcross III, Executive Chairman", "South Jersey Democrat is Among the State's Wealthiest; George Norcross III made njbiz.com's list at No. He ran the Camden County Democrats, but the GOP was firmly in control of the board of freeholders. + $4.99 shipping. son. After thorough investigations and significant media coverage, he was not charged. That was hardly obvious at the time, which looks to have been the point. [28][29], Norcross has a daughter, Lexie, and a son, Alex. Increase website traffic and elevate your brand with a CMS Bot business website. In as early as 2011, Norcross began giving a series of speeches focusing on education, and on the future of public education in Camden specifically. From left: Bob Brady, Jim Kenney, George Norcross, Lexie Norcross, Steve Sweeney, John Dougherty, Ed Coryell (in water). What might Norcross actually do for Philadelphia? He has continued to contest the validity of the 2020 result despite numerous decisions against his court challenges to Bidens win, and a months-long vote recount in Arizona that still favored Biden. No, not since then., But when I ask why Norcross supported him not whether he did well, then Kenney opens up, a little. 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. A childhood friend of Norcrosss, Sweeney is the New Jersey Senate president and vice president of the International Association of Ironworkers, and is widely assumed to be a big-time gubernatorial candidate in 2017. 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 Copyright 2023 My City Paper :: New York City News, Food, Sports and Events. Fee said Conner Strong & Buckelew was not involved in the concert. Neil Gorsuch's Family: His Wife, Children, Parents & Siblings - Heavy.com And why would they cross their Philly brethren in Carpenters Union Local 8, which was backing Williams in the race? He has close ties to Jersey carpenters. His eyebrows twist with real curiosity, and his eyes begin casting around, wildly alight, as if the answer to the Riddle of Him might be written on one of the walls in this Cooper University Hospital conference room. Funding. 1966 Dr William Norcross Chicago Il Director Cook County Jail News Wirephoto 6X8. George E. Norcross III (born March 16, 1956) is an American businessman and a Democratic Party organizer and power broker in southern New Jersey. FOR MOST OF HIS CAREER, Norcross, 60, stayed on his side of the Delaware. 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. 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. Before being elected Governor in 2009, Christ Christie, as US Attorney, was making a name for himself as a public Corruption Buster by bringing criminal charges on elected officials throughout New Jersey. But a year later, her fix continues to languish in a committee chaired by Nia Gill, an Essex County Democrat who isagain, go figureallied with Norcrosss Southern Jersey crew. The press in Jersey tracks Norcrosss every move as best it can, anyway. But if a Camden resident doesnt like what Norcross is doing, what recourse does she have? Amy Kennedy Vanquishes Norcross/Harrison - Insider NJ Meet George Norcross. For many years, he has been named one of the most powerful non-elected political figures in New Jersey by the website PolitickerNJ.com. In 2001, Norcross was caught on tape trying to influence the appointments of politicians, judges and using pay to play tactics to influence the awarding of municipal contracts. most stakeholders agnostic to his ascension to the position at worst, and Kenney tells me he has known Norcross for years (Fifteen, 20?), but he doesnt share any anecdotes or insights about the man. Look, says Ali Sloan El, a longtime city activist, George is for George.. The media sponsor was PhillyVoice, which is owned by WWB Holdings, as disclosed on the sites home page, said Daniel Fee, a spokesman for George Norcross. Perhaps Norcross, and what he wants, is as much of a mystery to Kenney as he is to the rest of us. daughter. We have estimated Not as much, he replies, confusingly. optimistic at best. Now George Norcross is invading Philadelphia and the citys power crowd is too scared to talk about it. 1966 Rev George R Davis, Pres & Mrs Johnson At Dc Church Politics Wirephoto 8X10. I will make one thing clear, we will not make those decisions without dialogue with the families and communities, Rouhanifard said. John Mooney, of NJ Spotlight, asked one of the meetings attendees, their opinion of the new superintendent and his strategic plan, and Elizabeth Ceprero-Abreu, a bilingual teacher in the district for eight years asserted. Thats the reality. Since Norcross operates in the shadows, were left guessing about his motives. . I understand, as a reporter, why the Palmyra Tapes incident has to be part of the George Norcross narrative. Norcross left discreetly, un-spotted by the legions of press there that night (including me). Notice of the issued tax credits was buried in a pair of Excel spreadsheets on a government website. There was plenty of journalistic handwringing over the fact that a powerful political figure now partly controlled a major local media company. We both say, Lets stop by and say hi to Jim.. The most powerful man in New Jersey has never held public office. George Norcross's net worth George Norcross, Chris Christie, and Paymon Rouhanifard: The Progressive Democratic groups often highlight the fact George Norcross who with his childhood friend, New Jersey Senate President Steve Sweeney, holds sway over the Democrat-controlled state . Thats something Philadelphians can surely appreciate, given their citys lack of clout in Harrisburg. Sure, Kenney has opinions on what hes done in Jersey. One of his longtime Jersey allies is Frank Spencer, a VP at the national carpenters union. He led the effort to create the Cooper Medical School of Rowan University and to partner with MD Anderson Cancer Center to create the MD Anderson Cooper Cancer Center, which opened in 2013. No way. George Norcross Jr., whom admirers called "Big George" and "Chief," was a longtime AFL-CIO president. Due to an editing error, the print version of this article incorrectly reported that George Norcross had not granted any on-the-record interviews. He refuses to explain what hes up to, or why. It was during Rouhanifards time at NYDOE where he would meet the eventual NJDOE Commissioner Cerf, who would later recruit him to lead Camdens school district. But he didnt dive in. None of these contracts have been publicly reported until now. And reframing the Camden city police as a county-led force is, he says, designed to save money and free up budgetary room to put more officers on the street. And it was Norcrosss longtime adman, Neil Oxman, who produced the pro-Kenney TV commercials funded by all that super-PAC cash. Genealogy for George Howard Norcross, Sr. (1818 - 1896) family tree on Geni, with over 230 million profiles of ancestors and living relatives. And the stands they take on the issues reflect the values of any true blue-dog Democrat.. In another DRPA-related transaction, Norcrosss insurance firm received $410,000not for actually doing the authoritys insurance work, but for referring that business to another insurance firm, Willis of New Jersey.