When Assemblyman Anthony Bucco walked to the podium to accept a Legislator of the Year award from the N.J. Chamber of Commerce, his late father – Sen. Tony Bucco – was on top of his mind.

“This is a difficult night for me,” Bucco said. “When you lose somebody, you go through a series of firsts. This is my first time attending a Chamber event without my father.” Bucco, in his remarks, noted that he and his father “both thought that when business succeeds in New Jersey, New Jersey succeeds.”

Bucco (R-25 / Morris and Somerset Counties) was one of four state legislators – two Democrats and two Republicans – who were honored at the New Jersey Chamber of Commerce’s Legislator of the Year Awards ceremony on Oct. 23 at Fiddler’s Elbow in Bedminster.

The other honorees were Senator Nilsa Cruz-Perez (D-5/Camden and Gloucester Counties); Senator Kristin M. Corrado (R-40/ Bergen, Essex, Morris and Passaic Counties); and Assemblywoman Eliana Pintor Marin (D-29/Essex County).

In addition, Dennis Wilson, president and CEO of Delta Dental of New Jersey, was named the N.J. Chamber’s Business Advocate of the Year.

Assemblywoman Eliana Pinto Marin noted that the Chamber has been an invaluable resource for her and her colleagues in the Legislature, particularly since she took the chair of the Assembly Budget Committee two years ago.

“Through last year’s budget process, we went through a lot together,” she said. “The Chamber was open and willing to explain much to us involving taxes and other things businesses face day to day. You shed a lot of light on issues that we were not aware of. What we thought were little things were actually difficult things for the business community. So your expertise is very important to us.”

Sen. Nilsa Cruz-Perez said, “I promise you, we’ll continue to fight to make New Jersey a great place to live and work. As chairwoman of the Senate Economic Growth Committee, I will push legislation that helps grow and attract business so communities can expand and prosper.”

Sen. Kristin Corrado said it feels good to carry a pro-business reputation. “I’m proud to be recognized by the New Jersey Chamber for protecting businesses both big and small,” she said. “The New Jersey Chamber works diligently day in and day out to ensure New Jersey is a good place to grow a business. The Chamber empowers the job creators of this state.”

Wilson, the CEO of Delta Dental New Jersey and Connecticut echoed those sentiments in accepting the Business Advocate of the Year award.

“The New Jersey Chamber of Commerce walks the business advocacy walk every day,” he said. “For that, we thank you. And I thank you.”

How the Honorees were Selected

All five honorees were recognized by the Chamber for their support of the business community and for their work advancing New Jersey as a more business friendly state – as well as a great place to live and work. The N.J. Chamber selected the lawmakers based on their voting records, bill sponsorships and initiatives.

“The honorees have taken substantive action to improve New Jersey’s economic climate and each has been at the forefront in the fight for tax and regulatory reform and fiscally responsible infrastructure investment,” said Tom Bracken, president of the New Jersey Chamber of Commerce. “New Jersey faces many challenges, and the business community is fortunate to have individuals such as these taking action to help make our state more affordable and more competitive.”

Profiles of Award Recipients

Sen. Nilsa Cruz-Perez became New Jersey’s first Hispanic woman in the state Legislature when she was elected to the Assembly in 1995. She served until 2010. In 2014, she was appointed to a seat in the state Senate to fill an unexpired term, and was subsequently elected to the position, which she still holds. Sen. Cruz-Perez serves as chair of the Senate Economic Growth Committee. She has been a staunch advocate for economic development and rehabilitation efforts in her home district in Camden and Gloucester counties. She supported the replenishment of the Transportation Trust Fund, and sponsored legislation supporting Urban Enterprise Zones and Main Street Assistance Programs for small businesses. She is a regular participant on the Walk to Washington, where she welcomes conversations with N.J. Chamber Members about policy that affects the business community and the state economy.

Sen. Kristin M. Corrado has sponsored several pro-business pieces of legislation that has garnered the full support of the New Jersey Chamber of Commerce, including an initiative that would repeal the surtax on the Corporation Business Tax. She also championed the bill that increased tax credits under the New Jersey Angel Investor Tax Credit Act. It was signed into law in June. In her role as Passaic County Clerk, she worked with local businesses to establish the Passaic County Veteran’s Discount List, which provides discounts to veterans and their families.

Assemblywoman Eliana Pintor Marin is the chair of the Assembly Budget Committee and also serves on the Assembly Appropriations Committee. Throughout the Budget Committee’s arduous process of creating and approving the state budget, Chairwoman Pintor Marin has welcomed the business community to the negotiating table, and her work has helped lighten the business community’s tax burden. She was a sponsor of the Economic Redevelopment and Growth Grant Bond Financing Act, which was signed into law last summer. Additionally, she strongly advocated this year for the extension of the state’s tax incentives programs. She is a regular participant on the Walk to Washington where she discusses policy related to the business community and the state economy.

Assemblyman Anthony Bucco was recently selected to succeed his late father in the state Senate. While his new title is senator, this award recognizes his advocacy during his time in the Assembly. He had been in the Assembly since 2010 and was the Republican Conference Leader. He served as a member of the Assembly Commerce and Economic Development Committee and the Assembly Transportation and Independent Authorities Committee. Bucco has attended state Chamber of Commerce roundtable breakfast sessions to discuss his priorities, including lowering taxes and reducing the cost of doing business in the state. Earlier this year, he was a sponsor of legislation that would provide a work-around to the federal $10,000 cap on state and local tax deductions for small business owners. He is a regular participant on the Walk to Washington, where he reaches out to members of the New Jersey Chamber of Commerce to discuss ways to expand the state economy.

Profile of the Business Advocate of the Year Award Recipient

Dennis G. Wilson is the president and CEO of Delta Dental of New Jersey, a member of Delta Dental Plans Association, which provides national dental coverage to more than 73 million people. Dennis has been the head of the company since 2013 and has worked more than 30 years in the healthcare industry. He is a trustee on the Delta Dental of New Jersey Foundation Board, the charitable arm of Delta Dental of New Jersey. As an active New Jersey Chamber of Commerce Board and Cornerstone member, Dennis leads by example and often takes extra steps to bolster the N.J. Chamber’s programs, initiatives and events. He sits on the boards of both the Community Foundation of New Jersey and the Morris County Economic Development Authority.

A special thank you to our host, PNC Bank.