Governor Phil Murphy recently announced who the inductees are for the incoming class of the New Jersey Hall of Fame (NJHOF) – a who’s who of some of the Garden State’s best and brightest.  The class will be inducted Sunday, October 27, during the 11th annual gala ceremony at the Paramount Theatre in Asbury Park. Tickets are to go on sale in early September.

“Even with our long and celebrated history – one of the original 13 colonies, the home of innovation, and where the first baseball and college football games were played – we continue to change the world,” said Governor Murphy. “New Jerseyans don’t rest on our laurels. We just keep reaching higher.”

The governor also thanked the Hall of Fame’s supporters and donors from a host of business, union, civic and philanthropic organizations during the announcement at Newark airport, which features several NJHOF displays.

During the ceremony, Hall of Fame chairman Jon F. Hanson announced that the NJHOF has reached $10 million in the fund-raising campaign for its permanent museum at the American Dream entertainment and retail complex in East Rutherford. The museum is scheduled to open in December 2020.

“I’m just so happy to see that here, in New Jersey, we’re recognizing people who either worked in New Jersey or were born in New Jersey,” says Jon F. Hanson, chairman of the NJHOF.

 NJHOF president Steve Edwards said he is looking forward to the Hall’s newest class being inducted Oct. 27.

“This is the highest civilian honor that can be bestowed upon one of our citizens,” said Steve Edwards, president of the NJHOF. “It’s going to be another great night for the New Jersey Hall of Fame and the state of New Jersey.”

The New Jersey Hall of Fame 2018 Class is (with occupation, name, N.J. town):

• ARTS AND LETTERS: Author Peter Benchley**, Pennington; sport columnist Jerry Izenberg, Neptune; “Game of Thrones” author George R. R. Martin, Bayonne; photographer Timothy White, Fort Lee.

• ENTERPRISE: BusinessmanJ. Fletcher Creamer Sr.**, Saddle River; businessmanF.M. Kirby II**, Harding; restaurateur, entrepreneur Tim McLoone, Little Silver; businesswoman Mary Roebling**, Trenton; businessman Arthur F. Ryan, Newark; businesswoman/TV personality Martha Stewart*, Nutley.

• PERFORMING ARTS: Actor Jason Alexander, Livingston; musician Southside Johnny Lyon, Neptune; musicians The Smithereens (Jim Babjak, Dennis Diken, Mike Mesaros, and the late Pat DiNizio), Carteret, Scotch Plains.

• PUBLIC SERVICE: Activist Elizabeth Allen**, Hoboken; physician, professor Victor Parsonnet, Newark.

• SPORTS:  N.Y. Giant Harry Carson, Franklin Lakes; basketball player, coach Anne Donovan**, Ridgewood; gymnast Laurie Hernandez, Old Bridge; N.Y. Giant Bart Oates, Harding.

UNSUNG HERO: To be announced in early October.

*- Previously selected, and being inducted in 2019. **-Being honored posthumously

In the case of someone who has been selected for the Hall but not inducted due to he/she not being able to attend a previous ceremony, the NJHOF may add to the list of inductees prior to the Oct. 27 gala.