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The New Jersey Hall of Fame will induct 15 new honorees at this year’s May 7 Induction Ceremony at the historic Convention Hall on the Asbury Park boardwalk.  

The event honors citizens who have made invaluable contributions to society, the State of New Jersey, and the world beyond, organizers have said. Since 2008, more than 100 individuals and groups have been inducted into the NJ Hall of Fame.

The new class of  includes the following:

In the ARTS & LETTERS category: Author Carol Higgins Clark and news anchor Connie Chung.

For ENTERPRISE: Businessman Alfred Koeppe and founder of NY Waterway Arthur Imperatore, Sr.

In the PERFORMING ARTS category: Singer, composer, actress, entertainer, and publisher Connie Francis, actress and TV personality Kelly Ripa, actor Ray Liotta, pop-rock musician Tommy James, and rapper Wyclef Jean of The Fugees.

For PUBLIC SERVICE: Non-denominational spiritual teacher and activist Peace Pilgrim and United States Army officer Philip Kearny.

In SPORTS: Professional soccer midfielder Carli Lloyd, former President and General Manager of the WNBA New York Liberty Carol Blazejowski, heavyweight boxer Chuck Wepner, and NFL Pro-bowler Rosey Grier.

The UNSUNG HERO will be announced at a latter date, organizers said.

“Induction into the New Jersey Hall of Fame is the highest civilian honor that our State can bestow on someone,” said John Keegan, Chairman Emeritus of the NJHOF Foundation Board. “It’s a celebration of New Jersey and its greatest achievers, and a recognition of role models for our next generation. This is New Jersey’s version of the Academy Awards, so attendees can expect some surprise celebrity appearances.”

The inductees were chosen through public voting with with input from the Hall of Fame’s Board of Commissioners.

The NJ Hall of Fame’s mission includes presenting school-aged children with significant role models so they can strive for excellence. This is accomplished in part through outreach programs like its Mobile Museum and its Curriculum Guide for educators, which focuses on the importance of voting, the qualities of effective leadership, and inductee research.

Recipients of the Second Annual Arête Scholarship [given in partnership with the New Jersey Education Association] will be recognized at the Induction Ceremony. Named for the Greek concept meaning the realization of one’s highest potential, $5,000 scholarships are awarded to high school seniors from across the state.

Below are more details for each honoree:

CAROL HIGGINS CLARK of Washington Twp was raised in Washington Township, Bergen County, NJ, Clark began her career as a mystery author re-typing mother Mary Higgins Clark’s manuscripts. The author of the popular Regan Reilly series, she has also co-authored a best-selling holiday-themed suspense series with her mother.

CONNIE CHUNG of Middletown is a renowned journalist who has hosted 20/20 and the CBS Evening News. In 1993, she became the first woman to co-anchor CBS Evening News, as well as the first Asian and the second woman to anchor one of America’s major network newscasts. She has been an anchor and reporter on NBC, CBS, ABC, CNN, and MSNBC.

ALFRED KOEPPE of Manasquan was educated at Rutgers-Newark and Seton Hall Law School. Koeppe was President and COO of Bell Atlantic and PSE&G. He served as President of the Newark Alliance and formerly chaired the State Economic Development Administration and the New Jersey Schools Development Authority. He was the recipient of the 2013 Steven J. Diner Ethical Leadership Award.

ARTHUR IMPERATORE, SR. of Fort Lee is an Italian-American businessman best known for being the founder and president of the NY Waterway. Imperatore began his business career in 1947, founding what would become the fourth largest trucking company in the U.S. In 1981, he purchased a 2.5-mile length of waterfront in Weehawken and West New York from the Penn Central Railroad. In 1986 this land was used to begin the NY Waterway ferry service between Weehawken and Manhattan. The Arthur E. Imperatore School of Sciences and Arts of Stevens Institute of Technology, in Hoboken, New Jersey, is named in his honor.

CONNIE FRANCIS of Newark is a singer, composer, actress, entertainer, and publisher Francis was born in Newark, NJ, and educated at Arts High School, Newark. She has toured the US, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, and Europe, owned publishing companies, and has made many records from the 1950s onward including hits like “Who’s Sorry Now” and “Stupid Cupid.”

KELLY RIPA, a Stratford native has co-hosted a syndicated talk show for 15 years – Live! With Kelly, previously Live! With Kelly and Michael and Live! with Regis and Kelly. She spent 12 years playing Hayley Vaughan Santos on the soap opera All my Children, for which she won three Daytime Emmy Awards.

RAY LIOTTA, a Newark native, is known for his portrayals of Henry Hill in the crime-drama Goodfellas and Shoeless Joe Jackson in Field of Dreams. He won an Emmy Award and was nominated for Golden Globe and Screen Actors Guild awards. He won his Emmy for Outstanding Guest Actor in a Drama Series for his role on the medical drama ER.

TOMMY JAMES of Cedar Grove is an American pop-rock musician, singer, songwriter, and record producer. James is most widely known as the leader of the 1960s rock band Tommy James and the Shondells. The group first recorded at a local radio station in 1964, and became best known for their hits “Hanky Panky” and “I Think We’re Alone Now.” James eventually went solo and recorded two Billboard Hot 100 top 20 chart hits, along with eleven other Hot 100 hits.

WYCLEF JEAN of Newark is a Haitian rapper, musician, and actor. At the age of nine Jean moved to the United States with his family where he spent much of his life. Jean graduated from Vailsburg High School in Newark, NJ. He first achieved fame as a member of the acclaimed New Jersey hip-hop group The Fugees. Jean won three Grammy Awards for his musical work.

PEACE PILGRIM of Egg Harbor City was born Mildred Lisette Norman. Pilgrim was an American non-denominational spiritual teacher, mystic, pacifist, vegetarian activist, and peace activist. In 1952 she became the first woman to walk the entire length of the Appalachian Trail in one season. Ms. Pilgrim also walked across the United States at least eight times—likely more than 20 times. Starting on January 1, 1953, in Pasadena, CA, she adopted the name “Peace Pilgrim” and walked across the United States for 28 years.

PHILIP KEARNY of Kearny served as a United States Army officer and was notable for his leadership in the Mexican-American War and American Civil War, during which he commanded the First New Jersey Brigade. He was killed in action in the 1862 Battle of Chantilly. The town of Kearny, NJ, where he had his estate, is named in his honor.

CARLI LLOYD of Mount Laurel is an American professional soccer midfielder who currently plays for the Houston Dash in the National Women’s Soccer League [NWSL] and the United States women’s national soccer team. She is a FIFA Women’s World Cup winner and two-time Olympic gold medalist. Lloyd scored the gold medal-winning goals in the finals of the 2008 Summer Olympics, the 2012 Summer Olympics, and the 2015 FIFA Women’s World Cup. She represented the United States at three FIFA Women’s World Cup tournaments: the 2007 FIFA Women’s World Cup, in which she helped the U.S. win bronze; the 2011 FIFA Women’s World Cup, in which the U.S. won silver; and the 2015 FIFA Women’s World Cup, where Lloyd scored a hat trick in the final, captaining the U.S. to its third title. Ms. Lloyd is a native of Delran Township and now lives in Mount Laurel, NJ.

CAROL BLAZEJOWSKI of Elizabeth is a former Olympian, Basketball Hall of Famer, and three-time All-American at Montclair State [1976-1978]. She won the inaugural Wade Trophy as the nation’s finest collegiate female player in 1978 and led the nation in scoring with 33.5 points per game in 1976-77 and 38.6 points per game in 1977-78. She was Captain of the 1980 women’s Olympic basketball team, and member of the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame and Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame. She worked in the front office of NBA and currently is Associate VP at Montclair State University.

CHUCK WEPNER of Bayonne is best known as the “Bayonne Brawler” and the “Bayonne Bleeder.” The heavyweight boxer was a heavy underdog when he went fifteen rounds with world heavyweight champion Muhammad Ali in a 1975 title fight. Wepner claimed that he was the inspiration for the movie Rocky.

ROSEY GRIER of Roselle played in NFL for the New York Giants and Los Angeles Rams from 1955–1966, and was honored as a two-time Pro Bowler. As an actor, Grier has appeared in numerous films and TV shows. He has also written several inspirational books and is an inspirational speaker. Grier spent his high school years in NJ and played high school football at Abraham Clark High School in Roselle, NJ.

For information on sponsorships and ticket packages to the May 7 event, email Brenda De Santis via BDeSantis@BGIAINS.com. For more information, visit NJHallofFame.org.

Students interested in the next round of scholarships can apply at www.NJHallofFame.org/arete To recommend a NJ Hall of Fame nominee, click website.

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