The members of the New Jersey Hall of Fame Class of 2017 were inducted on Sunday, May 6th in Asbury Park's Paramount Theatre. The following is a look at the members inducted in the ENTERPRISE category: John Hanson, Steve Forbes, Joe Buckelew, and Buddy Valastro - "Cake Boss".
John Hanson - Founder of The Hampshire Companies, Hanson has more than 54 years of experience in the real estate industry. He has served as chairman or director of several major corporations and groups, including Yankee Global Enterprises and the Yankee Entertainment and Sports Network LLC (YES Network). He served as a Director of Hackensack University Medical Center for over 18 years and serves as Chairman of the National Football Foundation and College Hall of Fame, Inc. A Bergen County native, he grew up in Bogota. His real estate acumen comes from his father, James E. Hanon, credited with developing the country’s first suburban industrial park, located in Teterboro.
Steve Forbes - A business leader and chairman and editor-in-chief of Forbes Media, Steve also founded Empower America and is a Freedom Works board member. Born Malcom Stevenson Forbes Jr. in Morristown, New Jersey, Steve Forbes grew up immersed in the worlds of publishing and politics. His grandfather, B.C. Forbes, was a journalist who founded Forbes Magazine. His father, Malcom Forbes, served as a state senator and had two unsuccessful bids for the New Jersey governorship in 1953 and 1957. Forbes has penned several books, including Why Free Markets Are Moral and Big Government Isn’t and How Capitalism Will Save Us. Steve Forbes was a Republican candidate in the 1996 and 2000 presidential primaries.
Joe Buckelew - Chairman of Conner Strong & Buckelew, which serves the insurance, risk management, and employee benefits brokerage and consulting needs of clients throughout the United States and abroad. He has served as Vice Chairman of Kimball Medical Center Foundation Board of Trustees since 1985 and on the Barnabas Health Care System’s Board of Trustees for more than 10 years. He also served as Chairman of the New Jersey Highway Authority for seven years and Chairman & Vice Chairman of the New Jersey Sports & Exposition Authority. He is currently on the Board of the New Jersey Meadowlands Commission. Buckelew is a lifelong resident of Lakewood. He and his wife, Carol, have been married for over 60 years.
Buddy Valastro - “Cake Boss” - A master baker, Valastro is the head baker of family owned Carlo’s Bake Shop, featured on TLC’s hit show Cake Boss. In addition to the Hoboken location, Carlo’s has open more than 20 bakeries due to the popularity of the show. Because of the Valastro family’s dedication to quality and excellence, Carlo’s has received national recognition. Master Baker Bartolo Jr. “Buddy” has been featured in numerous publications including Modern Bride and The Knot. Buddy’s cake design was voted by the Today Show viewers as the best cake in America. Valastro began working at his family’s business at age 11, alongside his father, mother, and four sisters. Buddy has also opened an event planning & catering company and 3 restaurants.
For more on the New Jersey Hall of Fame, visit www.njhalloffame.org
