Council Brings Together New Jersey Business Leaders and State Government Leaders
Governor Phil Murphy today announced appointments to the Governor’s Economic Council. The Council will provide a regular forum for the New Jersey business community and state government leaders to discuss, collaborate, and solve issues important to the public and private sectors, with the goal of stimulating economic growth and prosperity.
The Council was created by Executive Order 369, signed into law by Governor Murphy on October 29, 2024.
“Convening this Council is another step in our commitment to building a high-growth economy driven by technology and innovation,” said Governor Murphy. “The council will serve as a forum for continued collaboration between the business community and state government to advance our shared economic goals.”
The newly appointed public Council members bring a diverse range of business, economic, land use, environmental, and trade experience from different geographic regions of the state. Public members appointed to the Council include:
- Tom Bracken, New Jersey Chamber of Commerce
- Christina Renna, Chamber of Commerce Southern New Jersey
- Carlos Medina, Statewide Hispanic Chamber of Commerce of New Jersey
- John Harmon, African American Chamber of Commerce of New Jersey
- Jeff Kowalkowski, New Jersey Builders Association
- Chrissy Buteas, HealthCare Institute of New Jersey
- Dan Kennedy, NAIOP New Jersey
- Zoe Baldwin, Regional Plan Association
- Paulina O’Connor, New Jersey Offshore Wind Alliance
- Doug Tomson, New Jersey Association of Realtors
- Peter Connolly, New Jersey Manufacturing Extension Program
In accordance with the Order, the members were appointed by Council Co-Chairs Eric Brophy, Deputy Chief of Staff for Economic Growth, and Tim Sullivan, CEO of the New Jersey Economic Development Authority (NJEDA), to join seven members of the Murphy Administration on the Council.
“I am honored to have been chosen as a public appointee to Governor Murphy’s Economic Council. I look forward to working with the Administration and my fellow appointees, a group of dedicated business leaders, in establishing a forum that has the potential of producing the significant economic growth that our state desperately needs,” said Tom Bracken, President and CEO, New Jersey Chamber of Commerce. “With New Jersey’s impressive demographics, unparalleled assets, and strategic location, our economic upside is significant. The Economic Council will enable the Administration and the business community to have quarterly, constructive dialogue to take advantage of our potential and turn it into much needed growth. I want to thank Governor Murphy for creating the Council, which we hope will be a foundation for economic growth that transcends future administrations. I look forward to contributing to what, I believe, will be a transformative boost to our business community and our future economic prosperity.”
“New Jersey’s business community has many opportunities, as well as challenges, several of which can be overcome by open communication and idea-sharing between government and business,” said Christina M. Renna, President and CEO, Chamber of Commerce Southern New Jersey. “Southern New Jersey is unique and has a very difference economic landscape than our northern brethren, which Governor Murphy recognizes and appreciates. I am humbled by the opportunity to assure that the region’s economic opportunities are communicated, our challenges understood, and to give a voice to the South Jersey business community on the Governor’s Economic Council.”
“New Jersey is blessed with a strong Hispanic Gross Domestic Product exceeding 100 billion dollars annually,” said Carlos Medina, President and CEO, Statewide Hispanic Chamber of Commerce of New Jersey. “I thank Governor Murphy for making sure that his Economic Council reflects the citizens which it represents. I’m excited to see how we can grow the economy for all!”
Within the Council, the Executive Order also establishes a Development Coordination Committee as a subcommittee that will focus on ways to streamline the intergovernmental review of complex development projects and improve communication amongst state, county, and local government financing and permitting entities with respect to projects that require a coordinated review.
The Development Coordination Committee consists of the Deputy Chief of Staff for Economic Growth; the State Treasurer; the Commissioners of the Departments of Community Affairs, Environmental Protection, and Transportation; and the Executive Directors of the NJEDA, New Jersey Housing and Mortgage Finance Agency, Schools Development Authority, and Infrastructure Bank, or their respective designees. The Committee is tasked with reporting to the Council on recommended policies, initiatives, or reforms that may be undertaken to reduce barriers to development or construction project disruptions or delays.
Read Executive Order 369 here.