No. 3: Aisha Glover

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Urban redevelopment can be a slow process, with results attributable to even the most adept operators often taking years to become evident. Fortunately, Glover has a track record. Any New Jerseyan who wants to see an example of her work can look just 15 miles from downtown Newark to the Brooklyn Navy Yard – widely hailed as a success in the business. Glover served as vice president of external affairs for the Brooklyn Navy Yard Development Corp., where she oversaw public affairs, fundraising and strategic partnership development, among other duties.

She then moved to the Garden State, becoming president and chief executive officer of the Newark Community Economic Development Corp. and spearheading the city’s ultimately unsuccessful effort to land Amazon.com Inc.’s second headquarters. Glover is now the president and CEO of the Newark Alliance, putting her at the nexus of the city’s important constituencies, including businesses. While the Amazon effort failed, the new federal opportunity zone program offers another economic development tool for Glover to use.

She has an even more prominent perch now, a seat on the board of the New Jersey Economic Development Authority. As one of four appointees made late last year by Gov. Murphy, Glover will have a say in how millions of dollars in corporate incentives are doled out, assuming the administration and legislative leaders can agree on what a new tax break scheme will entail. Having an advocate for Newark wielding that sort of power can only benefit the long-troubled city.