NEWARK – On the heels of opening the New Jersey Hall of Fame at American Dream, the New Jersey Hall of Fame today announced its next class of Jersey greats. The list of 18 Inductees includes Actress Meryl Streep, Actor Paul Rudd, Founder and CEO of Jersey Mike’s Subs Peter Cancro, former NY Giants Quarterback Phil Simms, and Ocean City journalist and author Gay Talese.
“The 2024 class of inductees of the New Jersey Hall of Fame illustrate the New Jersey ethic of hard work, determination, and grit,” NJHOF Chairman Jon F. Hanson said. “We are thrilled to celebrate the contributions of 18 new Inductees so future generations can learn about their journeys.”
The inductees will be honored at the 16th annual New Jersey Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony.This year’s ceremony will be a pre-taped television special on location at the 10,000-square-foot New Jersey Hall of Fame at American Dream and other Hall of Fame satellite exhibits. The ceremony will be aired beginning Nov. 13 on Fox 5 My9 and social media. Dozens of Inductee events will be open to the public throughout the year on Inductee birthdays, beginning as early as this summer.
Inductees of the NJ Hall of Fame Class of 2024 are:
Arts & Letters
Gay Talese of Ocean City, journalist for The New York Times and Esquire magazine, a pioneer who pushed the boundaries of traditional journalism.
Talese, 92, an author and journalist, was born in Ocean City, the son of Italian immigrant parents, and is a 1949 graduate of Ocean City High School.
He is an acclaimed writer. As a journalist for The New York Times and Esquire magazine during the 1960s, Talese helped to define contemporary literary journalism and is considered, along with Tom Wolfe, Joan Didion and Hunter S. Thompson, one of the pioneers of New Journalism, according to Wikipedia.
Some of his notable works are works “Frank Sinatra Has a Cold,” “Honor Thy Father” and “Thy Neighbor’s Wife.”
Education & Science
Elizabeth Coleman White*, Whitesbog, botanist who developed the nation’s first cultivated blueberry
John Forbes Nash*/**, Princeton, genius mathematician who was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for Economics
Avi Wigderson, Princeton, computer scientist, mathematician, and Turing Award winner, known for his groundbreaking insights in computer science
Enterprise
George Cooney, Bogota, chairman emeritus of EUE/Screen Gems Ltd, a visionary who built industry-leading entertainment service businesses for over 50 years catering to Madison Avenue and Hollywood
Peter Cancro, Point Pleasant, founder of Jersey Mike’s Franchise Systems, Inc., entrepreneur, businessman and philanthropist
Donald Katz, Newark, founder of Audible, Inc., award-winning journalist, and author
Performing Arts & Entertainment
Lesley Gore**,*, Tenafly, singer-songwriter known for top-chart hits including “You Don’t Own Me” and “It’s My Party,” she received an Academy Award nomination for “Out Here On My Own” from the movie FAME and three Grammy Award nominations
Warren Littlefield, Montclair, NBC Entertainment president who oversaw the groundbreaking “Must See TV” lineup, including “Seinfeld”
Paul Rudd**, Passaic, actor who has been nominated for a Golden Globe, two SAG Awards, and won a Critics’ Choice Award
Kevin Smith, Red Bank, director, producer, writer, and actor who helmed the Jersey-based comedy Clerks
Meryl Streep**, Bernardsville, actress who has won three Academy Awards, eight Golden Globes, is a Kennedy Center Honoree, and received a Presidential Medal of Freedom
Public Service
Father Edwin D. Leahy, Newark, Benedictine monk and Catholic priest, headmaster of St. Benedict’s Prep in Newark
Geraldine Thompson, Lincroft, social reform pioneer and founder of VNA Health Group who earned the nickname “First Lady of New Jersey” due to her philanthropic and social service activities
Sports
Dick Button, Englewood, two-time Olympic Gold Medalist in figure skating, five consecutive gold medals from the World Championships, and an Emmy Award-winning former TV Sport Commentator
Tim Howard, New Brunswick, former goalkeeper for the United States Men’s National Team, regarded as one of the greatest American players of all time
Ron Johnson*, Madison, All-American running back and captain at the University of Michigan, twice earned All-Pro honors with the New York Giants, inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame, and served as chairman of the National Football Foundation
Phil Simms, Franklin Lakes, former New York Giants quarterback, Super Bowl MVP, and sports analyst
*Being honored posthumously.
**Previous Inductee, but being formally inducted this year.
The 18 Inductees in the six categories were chosen from 50 nominees after a public vote. The Hall of Fame reserves the right to announce other Inductees at a later time.
The NJHOF has hosted 15 ceremonies since 2008 for more than 230 notable individuals and groups in recognition of their induction into the Hall of Fame.
In June of 2024, the New Jersey Hall of Fame opened the nation’s first state-of-the-art Entertainment and Learning Center at American Dream.
For more information, go www.NJHOF.org
