Alberto Garofalo
Bank of America

Garofalo is the New Jersey market president for Bank of America, a role he has held since 2019. His leadership has been defined by a focus on service, community partnership, and expanding economic opportunities across the state. In November 2025, the Statewide Hispanic Chamber of Commerce of New Jersey named Garofalo its 2025 Latino Trailblazer of the Year, recognizing his efforts to advance financial mobility, strengthen workforce pathways and support inclusive growth.

At Bank of America, Garofalo oversees major investments that reflect a long-term commitment to New Jersey, including the firm’s new 548,000-square-foot office at Newport Tower in Jersey City, slated for completion in late 2026. The space will consolidate employees under one roof while emphasizing wellness, collaboration and flexibility.

Garofalo has also played a visible role in preparing New Jersey’s business community for the impact of the FIFA World Cup 2026, which is projected to generate billions in economic activity. Through gatherings like Bank of America’s “Nothing but Net” event in November, he has worked alongside public and private leaders to help businesses capitalize on once-in-a-generation opportunities.

Robert Garrett
Hackensack Meridian Health

Garrett is the CEO of Hackensack Meridian Health, New Jersey’s largest and most comprehensive health care network. The Edison-headquartered system includes 18 hospitals, more than 500 patient care locations, nearly 38,000 team members and more than 7,000 physicians, serving communities across the state.

Garrett has led the integrated system since the 2016 merger of Hackensack University Health Network and Meridian Health, overseeing its evolution into a national model for quality, access and innovation.

In 2025, Garrett was honored with the NJBIZ Health Care Heroes Lifetime Achievement Award, recognizing his long-standing leadership and impact on the state’s health care landscape. Under his direction, Hackensack Meridian continues to expand care beyond traditional hospital settings, with major investments in ambulatory and community-based services.

Key initiatives in 2025 included the opening of a $79 million health and wellness center in Clifton, progress on a $200 million transit-oriented facility at Metropark, expanded partnerships with Amazon One Medical and Uber Health, the rollout of biometric patient check-in technology with Clear, and more. HMH is supporting the 2026 FIFA World Cup, too – joining as the Official Hometown Hospital for the New York-New Jersey host region.

Warren Geller
Englewood Health

Geller has served as president and CEO of Englewood Health since January 2013, leading one of New Jersey’s most respected health care systems through a period of sustained growth, quality improvement and strategic expansion. Under his leadership, Englewood Health has strengthened its reputation for clinical excellence, patient safety and community-centered care across Bergen County and the broader North Jersey region.

Englewood Hospital consistently earns top national and state recognition, including repeated Leapfrog Hospital Safety Grade “A” ratings, designation as a Leapfrog Top Teaching Hospital, and honors from U.S. News & World Report and Newsweek as a leading regional and best-in-state hospital.

A defining focus of Geller’s tenure has been expanding access to high-quality, culturally responsive care. Englewood Health has deepened its commitment to health equity, population health and outreach to underserved communities, addressing mental health, substance use disorders and chronic disease prevention.

In January, Englewood Health announced a definitive agreement to join RWJBarnabas Health, a move Geller said will position the system for long-term growth, innovation and expanded access. “Our health systems are coming together under a shared goal of not just providing the best care but increasing access to that care,” he said.

Angelo Genova
Genova Burns

Genova is co-founder and chairman of Genova Burns, a Newark-based law firm recognized for its depth in complex litigation, labor and employment, and public law matters. A seasoned trial lawyer, Genova has appeared before state, regional and federal courts for decades, including numerous cases argued before the New Jersey Supreme Court, delivering precedent-setting outcomes across a wide range of legal issues.

Known for his rigorous, preparation-driven approach, Genova views his role as both advocate and counselor, combining strategic insight with practical problem-solving. His litigation practice spans high-stakes business disputes and complex commercial controversies involving family enterprises, partners, shareholders, vendors, contractors and senior executives, serving as lead or co-counsel from pleadings through trial and appeal.

Genova is also a nationally respected authority in election and politics law, with more than 30 years of experience representing candidates at every level of government and advising political parties nationwide. His work includes campaign finance, ballot access, recount, and post-election challenges under federal and New Jersey law.

Don Ghermezian
American Dream

As chief executive officer and president of American Dream, Ghermezian was responsible for the development, construction, planning and contract negotiation – and continues to handle leasing – for the 3-million-square-foot venue in East Rutherford.

One of the most ambitious retail and entertainment concepts in the U.S., the megamall opened in October 2019, offering visitors a unique mix of retail, dining and entertainment. In addition to hundreds of stores, multiple flagship shops and a luxury retail wing, the property boasts an indoor theme park, water park, ice rink, observation wheel and ski slope. Now the second-largest mall in the U.S., it features over 400 stores and about 100 eateries, as well as a regular lineup of special events, such as concerts, celebrity engagements and sports. Recently, it ranked as the No. 7 best indoor mall in the country in USA Today’s readers’ choice awards.

American Dream is also gearing up for the FIFA World Cup 2026 this summer, since eight of those matches will be played right next door at MetLife Stadium. It is planning a range of activities and programs this year to celebrate the sporting event.

Frank Giantomasi
Chiesa Shahinian & Giantomasi PC

As co-chair of Chiesa Shahinian & Giantomasi PC’s Executive Committee and a member of the firm’s Real Estate Group, Giantomasi brings more than four decades of experience to one of New Jersey’s most prominent law firms. He is widely regarded as a leading figure in regional real estate, with a practice spanning acquisitions, sales, development, complex commercial transactions and chancery litigation.

Giantomasi has served as chief development counsel on some of the state’s most high-profile projects, including the long-term plan to redevelop 6.1 acres surrounding the New Jersey Performing Arts Center into a new, mixed-use arts district. His client work also includes representing Netflix in its successful effort to transform the former Fort Monmouth Army base into a major production hub, the $35 million Newark Courtyard by Marriott hotel, and assisting Maher Terminals and Maersk affiliate APM Terminals in securing lease extensions in Elizabeth valued at more than $1 billion each.

Beyond his legal practice, Giantomasi has played a central role in the Roseland-headquartered firm’s expansion. CSG Law has exceeded $100 million in annual revenue since 2022 and grown to more than 200 attorneys. He also serves as chairman of the board of trustees for Newark Beth Israel Medical Center and Children’s Hospital of New Jersey.

Aisha Glover
Audible

Aisha Glover is the global head of urban innovation at Audible, where she leads the company’s efforts to connect business growth with community investment and economic development for the Newark-headquartered company. Since joining Audible in 2020, Glover has been instrumental in shaping initiatives that position the company as a long-term civic and cultural anchor in the city.

In her role, Glover oversees programs designed to support local entrepreneurs, artists and neighborhood vitality, including The Pillars, Audible’s 15,000-square-foot experiential retail and community hub in Newark’s Arts & Education District.

The project reflects Audible’s strategy of investing in physical spaces that invite public engagement while strengthening the local economy. Her work also spans business attraction, arts and culture programming, and partnerships that expand opportunities and visibility for Newark-based creators and small businesses. “We have office space here, but this is not that,” Glover said about The Pillars. “This is really created with the intention of symbolizing and exemplifying why Audible is in Newark.”

Marc de Grandpré
New York Red Bulls

The president and general manager of the New York Red Bulls, de Grandpré continued to build strong business-side momentum in 2025 and to start 2026. Under his leadership, the organization expanded on its transformative partnership with Sports Illustrated, further activating Sports Illustrated Stadium through premium spaces, new events and more, with SI Tickets becoming the official ticketing partner at the Harrison stadium this season.

The club struck a multiyear agreement with Levy, the industry leader in sports and entertainment hospitality, to bring an enhanced food, beverage and retail experience to the stadium. He also helped secure a landmark, long-term partnership with RWJBarnabas Health, including naming rights to the club’s new 80-acre performance and training center in Morris Township, slated to open this year.

With the 2026 FIFA World Cup rapidly approaching, the Red Bulls are set to play a central role in the festivities. “I am proud of the growth and evolution of our club,” he told NJBIZ in November. “With FIFA World Cup 2026 on the horizon, we view this as a defining inflection point, one that will enable us to expand our reach in New Jersey, deepen our connection with the community, and strengthen our position across the broader marketplace.”

David Greek
Greek Real Estate Partners

Greek is managing partner of East Brunswick-headquartered Greek Real Estate Partners, where he leads the firm’s strategic direction and oversees new business initiatives and project acquisitions across the Northeast. He is responsible for guiding projects from initial site selection through design, entitlement, financing and delivery, helping clients navigate some of the region’s most complex industrial development challenges.

Under his leadership, the company combines in-house design and construction expertise with deep local knowledge of land use, environmental, and tax regulations to reduce risk and accelerate approvals. The firm works closely with local officials and community stakeholders, earning a reputation for best-in-class service and consistently exceeding client expectations.

Greek advises a variety of clients, including leading institutional investors and global companies in manufacturing, pharmaceutical, distribution and e-commerce sectors. The firm’s portfolio reflects more than $3 billion in developed projects, many involving highly constrained or unconventional sites. Beyond day-to-day development, Greek serves as chair for logistics coalition Circulate NJ. He is also a frequent industry voice on emerging risks facing industrial real estate, particularly energy availability, infrastructure constraints and policy uncertainty. Greek emphasizes strategic partnerships as the key to helping businesses realize their full potential in an increasingly complex development environment.

Kim Hanemann
Public Service Electric and Gas Co.

Hanemann is president and COO of Public Service Electric and Gas Co., New Jersey’s largest electric and gas utility, serving approximately 2.6 million customers across nearly three-quarters of the state. She has held the role since June 2021 and is a member of the senior executive team of parent company Public Service Enterprise Group.

Hanemann oversees PSE&G’s electric, gas and customer operations, along with asset management and centralized services. She is also responsible for the execution of the company’s major construction and infrastructure projects. Her leadership has focused on system reliability, customer affordability, and preparing the grid for rising demand driven by electrification and technology growth.

In June 2025, Hanemann announced PSE&G’s Summer Relief Initiative, aimed at protecting residential customers from higher electric bills following a sharp increase tied to PJM capacity auctions. “There is now widespread recognition that New Jersey needs more power generation to address the forecasted energy supply-demand imbalance,” she said in June.

John Harmon
African American Chamber of Commerce of New Jersey

Harmon is the founder, president and CEO of the African American Chamber of Commerce of New Jersey, where he leads statewide advocacy, policy engagement and economic development efforts on behalf of Black-owned businesses. Since launching AACCNJ in 2007, Harmon has built one of the most influential minority business organizations in the region, growing its membership to nearly 900 companies as well as establishing strategic partnerships across government, higher education and the private sector.

A longtime champion for equity in public contracting, Harmon has been a leading voice responding to New Jersey’s disparity study, calling attention to persistent gaps in utilization and access for Black-owned firms. Last year, Harmon released a memoir, “Power Moves: The Life and Legacy of a Black Chamber Executive”, reflecting on his career, leadership journey and decades of work advancing inclusive economic growth.

AACCNJ is also developing a first-of-its-kind Transformation Center in downtown Trenton. The 26,800-square-foot business incubator and economic empowerment hub is supported by NJEDA and Rowan University. “This partnership serves as an excellent example of the public sector engaging strategically with the AACCNJ to mitigate socioeconomic disparities in New Jersey, resulting in a definitive win for everyone – including community stakeholders and small business owners,” said Harmon.

Debbie Hart
BioNJ

Hart is the founding president and CEO of BioNJ, the life sciences trade association established in 1994. For more than three decades, Hart has been a central architect of the state’s life sciences ecosystem, advancing BioNJ’s mission to help members help patients while strengthening New Jersey’s position as a global hub for medical innovation.

Under her leadership, BioNJ has become the trusted voice of the life sciences industry, working closely with legislative and regulatory leaders in Trenton and Washington on policies affecting research, commercialization, patient access, health equity and affordability. Hart also chairs the New Jersey Commission on Science, Innovation and Technology. And she has played a key advisory role during pivotal moments, including COVID-19 recovery efforts and the transition to the Gov. Sherrill administration – serving on Sherrill’s Economic Development and Innovation transition action team.

“Despite the downturn in FDA novel approvals last year, the Garden State continues to lead the nation accounting for 43% of all new novel approvals for the second year in a row – more than any other state,” Hart noted at BioNJ’s recent annual Dinner Meeting & Innovation Celebration, which Sherrill keynoted.

Dennis Hart
Chemistry Council of New Jersey

Hart has served as executive director of the Chemistry Council of New Jersey since November 2016, leading the state’s primary trade and advocacy organization for the business of chemistry. Founded in 1955, CCNJ represents more than 65 manufacturers and 46 firms across chemical, pharmaceutical, consumer products, petroleum, flavor and fragrance, and precious metals industries — all committed to advancing science, innovation and a higher quality of life.

The chemistry industry in the state generates $15.48 billion in economic value, ranks eighth nationally, and employs roughly 48,000 people, including 19,000 direct manufacturing jobs.

Hart brings decades of environmental and infrastructure experience to the role, including senior leadership positions at the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection, the New Jersey Environmental Infrastructure Trust, and the Utility and Transportation Contractors Association of New Jersey. That background informs CCNJ’s work at the intersection of environmental stewardship, economic growth and public policy, as the organization advocates for an industry that plays a critical role in manufacturing, sustainability and innovation across the state.

Ali Houshmand
Rowan University

Houshmand has led Rowan University through a period of unprecedented growth and transformation since becoming president in 2012, elevating the institution into one of the nation’s fastest-rising public research universities. During his tenure, enrollment has more than doubled to nearly 25,000 students, making Rowan the fastest-growing public research university in the Northeast and among the top 10 nationally.

Rowan’s physical and academic expansion has been matched by significant investment. Over the past decade, the university has partnered on $1.8 billion in projects, with an additional $1.5 billion planned by 2035.

In September, Rowan launched the public phase of “Forging Forward,” a $240 million fundraising campaign to build its future. “People look for dynamism, momentum, ascension and when they look at a university like Rowan, that’s been growing year after year, they want to be a part of it,” he said when that campaign launched. “We’re growing in size, by reputation, and in every facet that you can think of, and it’s creating a kind of energy, a buzz that people are excited about and want to invest in.”

Joe Jingoli Jr.
Joseph Jingoli & Son Inc.

Jingoli is CEO and chairman of the board of Joseph Jingoli & Son Inc., a privately held, fifth-generation family business that is a nationally ranked construction, construction management and infrastructure solutions firm. With more than four decades of experience, Jingoli has built a reputation for guiding complex public and private projects from planning through execution, particularly in the power, health care, education and large-scale infrastructure sectors.

Under his leadership, Jingoli has served as construction manager or partner on several high-profile New Jersey projects. The firm is managing construction for Phase 1 of the multiyear redevelopment of Rutgers Health and University Hospital’s Newark campus. It is also a construction partner on the $732 million H-1 component of HELIX NJ in New Brunswick, a cornerstone of the state’s innovation economy that will house the Rutgers School of Medicine, translational research labs and the New Jersey Innovation Hub.

Jingoli is additionally managing renovation work at Trenton Thunder Ballpark under a new project labor agreement, upgrading the facility to meet current MLB standards. Jingoli previously partnered on the renovation and reopening of the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Atlantic City, further reflecting the firm’s diverse and notable project portfolio.

Aiysha Johnson
New Jersey Society of CPAs

Aiysha (AJ) Johnson is CEO and executive director of the New Jersey Society of CPAs, where she leads one of the state’s most influential professional organizations – with some 14,000 members – at a pivotal moment for the accounting profession.

With more than 20 years of global experience across nonprofit, professional and trade associations, Johnson has positioned NJCPA as a leading voice on workforce development, regulatory modernization and business advocacy. She has run the organization since 2023, and under her leadership NJCPA played an instrumental role in advancing landmark legislation expanding pathways to CPA licensure in New Jersey. The reform aims to address the profession’s talent pipeline challenges. Signed into law in January, the measure creates alternative routes to licensure while updating practice mobility rules as well as strengthening New Jersey’s competitiveness and access to the profession.

“We could not be more pleased with Gov. Murphy’s signing of the additional CPA pathway bill into law,” Johnson said, thanking bill sponsors, lawmakers and other key stakeholders for their support. “Accountants and CPAs help grow New Jersey’s economy by enriching the business landscape. Accounting enrollments are trending higher at various institutions, so this will cast a wider net of options for those individuals looking to become CPAs.”

Yoonie Joung
Samsung Electronics North America

Joung is president and CEO of Samsung Electronics North America, responsible for leading the company’s regional operations, growth strategy, and customer engagement across its portfolio of consumer electronics, mobile, home appliance and AI-enabled technologies.

He has more than three decades of experience at Samsung, having led major businesses and markets across the Americas, Europe, the Middle East and Latin America. Before assuming his current role, he served as head of Samsung’s Global Strategic Marketing Office and previously led Samsung Electronics America’s Mobile Division. He also held president roles for Samsung operations in Brazil and Turkey, helping drive growth and market expansion in highly competitive regions.

In September, Samsung officially opened its new North American headquarters in Englewood Cliffs, a state-of-the-art campus that now serves as the central hub for the company’s U.S. and Canadian operations. Home to approximately 1,200 employees, the facility replaces Samsung’s long-term Ridgefield Park headquarters and marks a significant milestone in the company’s 40-year investment in New Jersey, where it first established a presence in Bergen County in 1985.

Dan Kennedy
NAIOP New Jersey

Kennedy is CEO of NAIOP New Jersey, the state’s leading organization representing owners, developers, and professionals across the office, industrial, logistics and mixed-use real estate sectors. He oversees the chapter’s operations, advocacy and member engagement, positioning commercial real estate as a key driver of jobs, investment and community development statewide.

Kennedy also serves as executive director of the New Jersey Developers’ Political Action Committee (DPAC), which supports public officials who recognize the industry’s economic impact. Last year, NAIOP New Jersey laid out a comprehensive policy roadmap outlining the organization’s priorities for the next gubernatorial administration. The agenda focused on improving the state’s regulatory environment, accelerating permitting, addressing energy supply and grid constraints, strengthening development and redevelopment incentives, investing in infrastructure, supporting voluntary sustainability initiatives, and expanding workforce development and education programs.

Following the election of Gov.-elect Mikie Sherrill in November, Kennedy issued a public statement on behalf of NAIOP NJ’s roughly 800 members, congratulating the governor-elect and referencing several of the priorities outlined in the summer roadmap. “We have a lot to do, and we’re ready to roll up our sleeves and work alongside you, Gov. Sherrill,” said Kennedy.

Karen Kessler
Kessler PR Group

The founding president and CEO of Kessler PR Group, namesake leader Kessler’s name is synonymous with helping keep other big names out of the headlines. She has more than 30 years’ experience, regularly counseling high-profile celebrities and entities in the U.S., Europe and Middle East.

Kessler’s work covers sensitive topics, such as regulatory inquiries, personnel matters, business practices, and criminal and civil litigation. A director of Northfield Bank for 10 years, which recently announced a $579 million-combination with Columbia Bank, in 2023, she began service as a commissioner of the New Jersey Motion Picture and Television Commission. Kessler is often engaged to speak, whether by the state Bar Association, or in print and broadcast media.

Her work and that of Kessler PR continues to receive recognition, too, in 2024/5 earning the Chambers and Partners International legal ranking. Beyond taking home awards, Kessler’s work has also inspired Oscar-nominated and documentary films.

Thierry Klein
Nokia Bell Labs Solutions Research

As president of Nokia Bell Labs Solutions Research, Klein leads a storied institution, poised to begin its next chapter here in New Jersey.

Nokia Bell Labs will soon leave its longtime home in Murray Hill for the HELIX in New Brunswick — an endorsement of not just the development, but of the transformation it perpetuates in and for the Middlesex County seat, as well as the innovation ecosystem more largely in the Garden State. Plans call for the company to move into the 10-story, 350,000-square-foot facility by the beginning of 2028.

Nokia also appears set to enhance its local legacy. The New Jersey Economic Development Authority earlier this year launched a Strategic Innovation Center in partnership with Nokia Bell Labs. The HELIX 2 building will house the latest SIC.

This facility will include the NJ Nokia Bell Labs Innovation Center and Bell Labs Venture Studio. Officials said the effort will focus on enabling startups to accelerate and commercialize intellectual property from Nokia Bell Labs and local universities. The SIC will emphasize areas such as communication, artificial intelligence, cloud computing, and optical and wireless networks.

“Bell Labs has proudly called New Jersey home for most of our 100-year history, and we are thrilled to launch the Bell Labs Venture Studio in partnership with NJEDA in 2025 – as we celebrate our centennial anniversary,” Klein said at the time of the announcement.

Jim Kras
Edible Garden

As chief executive officer, chairman and one of the founders of Belvidere-based hydroponic farming company Edible Garden, Kras is focused on driving the sustainable agriculture market with cutting-edge technology, great retailer relationships and top-quality customer service.

According to the company, under Kras’ leadership, Edible Garden has grown from a regional greenhouse operator into an innovation-driven platform spanning fresh produce, functional foods, and shelf-stable CPG products, all rooted in its proprietary Farm to Formula and Zero-Waste Inspired strategies. The company leverages advanced greenhouse technology, responsible sourcing, and vertically integrated R&D to deliver locally grown, sustainably produced food to national retailers.

And the company has been busy growing its reach. Last spring, Edible Garden said it would expand a distribution agreement to bring produce herbs to 93 Stop & Shop stores across New York. In the fall, the company deepened its ties to Kroger and Target. And it reached an agreement with The Fresh Market.

“This reflects more than just expanded distribution — it represents a shared philosophy around delivering meaningful value to today’s health-conscious consumer,” Kras said regarding The Fresh Market deal. “As we continue to scale our operations and deepen our retail footprint, collaborations like this allow us to bring responsibly grown, organic products to more communities and consumers, while upholding the integrity and transparency that our brand stands for.”

2026 Power 100 Index:

Intro (including Top 10)  |  A – F  |  G – K  |  L – O  |  P – Z