Paul Silverman Announced as 2022 NJCU Leadership Awards Arts Honoree; Leadership Awards Set for May 31

JERSEY CITY, N.J. | New Jersey City University (NJCU) has announced that Paul Silverman, Principal of SILVERMAN, will be recognized as an honoree during the 2022 NJCU Leadership Awards — the institution’s annual celebration of those who have made a lasting impact on society in the Jersey City and the greater Hudson County area. Silverman is the second individual announced to be celebrated as part of the four-honoree gala and will be acknowledged in the Arts category.

The 2022 NJCU Leadership Award will be held on Tuesday, May 31, 2022 at 6 p.m. at the Liberty House, located at 76 Audrey Zapp Drive in Jersey City.

Presented by the NJCU Foundation, this year’s theme will be Celebrating Transformational Impact, and the university will honor four individuals in the categories of Service, Arts, Innovation, and Legacy. 

Assembly Deputy Majority Leader and New Jersey Assemblywoman Angela V. McKnight was the first honoree announced and will be recognized in the Service category. 

Developer Paul Silverman, alongside his brother Eric, co-founded the Jersey City-based real estate company, SILVERMAN, in 1981. For more than 40 years their approach to building neighborhoods has made an enduring impact on many Jersey City communities and become a blueprint for neighborhood design.

Beginning the week of March 28, NJCU will unveil one honoree per week. For more information on the 2022 NJCU Leadership Awards and to purchase tickets, visit, njcu.edu/gala.

2022 NJCU Leadership Awards Honoree: Paul Silverman

The second honoree this year is Paul Silverman, in the Arts category. Widely regarded for his work as a developer of residential, commercial, retail and industrial real estate in New Jersey, including restoration of historic buildings, renovation of existing buildings and new construction, he is also a noted supporter of the arts and other causes. He has also served as Chairman of New Jersey Beer Co. a microbrewery producing craft beer since 2011.

“I’m proud to have accomplished, and continue to accomplish, the rebuilding of Jersey City,” said Silverman. “Along with my brother Eric and our entire SILVERMAN team, we create great places for people to live and work. We support small businesses, support education, and support the arts. I give of my time and money to nurture these causes. Helping others succeed brings me joy.”

Paul Silverman is an active volunteer and philanthropist who previously served 10 years on the NJCU Foundation board (2012-2022) and currently sits on the board of the Hudson County Chamber of Commerce. He serves as a Trustee Emeritus at Muhlenberg College in Allentown, Pa.  

Additionally, he volunteers with CitySail, and is a supporter of New City Kids, Art House Productions, Team Wilderness and many Jersey City and Hudson County nonprofits. He is co-founder of the Youth Foundation of Jersey City.

“I define leadership as setting an example for those around you,” Silverman said, describing his vision for leadership. “Setting an example with both words and actions to inspire others to follow your lead, and consistently doing the right thing, at any cost, is the hallmark of leadership. To our future leaders, lead by example. Be proud of your work, and your accomplishments. Give to others because it feels good to give. It feels good to see the success of others in life and in work.”

About the NJCU Leadership Awards

Launched in 2018, the NJCU Leadership Awards were conceived to honor, promote, and encourage exemplary efforts by individuals and organizations who have made and continue to make exemplary contributions to our society. NJCU last held the leadership event in 2019, before the 2020 and 2021 events were canceled due to the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Past honorees include 2018 honorees Jersey City Mayor Steven M. Fulop (Service), Angelo J. Genova, Esq., Senior Partner, Co-Founder and Chairman, Genova Burns, Attorneys-At-Law (Innovation), Stefania Panepinto, Founder, Panepinto Galleries (Arts), and the late Thomas Stanton, Jr., a Jersey City banker, visionary and prime mover committed to the renaissance of his hometown (Legacy, awarded posthumously); and 2019 honorees Hon. Frank J. Guarini (Service), Meredith Burns, Executive Director, Art House Productions (Arts), Joseph F. Scott, FACHE, Executive Vice President, Health Care Transformation, RWJ Barnabas Health (Innovation) and the late Glenn D. Cunningham, Former Mayor of Jersey City, 2001-2004 (Legacy, awarded posthumously).

About the NJCU Foundation

NJCU is wholly dedicated to offering the best, most affordable education to its students, as well as state-of-the-art facilities and campus amenities that augment learning and support personal development. Philanthropic giving is key in making this happen. The NJCU Foundation Board of Directors empowers this work by guiding philanthropic endeavors and serving as ambassadors for NJCU.

NJCU Foundation’s mission is to support New Jersey City University as it transforms itself into a nationally recognized leader in urban public education while maintaining its commitment to transforming the lives and livelihoods of its diverse student body.

About NJCU

New Jersey City University is an institution of higher learning with an audacious goal: the development of our students, our city, our communities, our state, and the world beyond. We are a game-changing force for our students and their families. Whether our students are enrolled in one of our 50 undergraduate, 30 graduate or three doctoral programs, NJCU provides an affordable, diverse environment, and an exceptionally supportive faculty—all of which prepares them to be critical thinkers in a global landscape.

We’re also changing the game for our city, our communities, and our state. As the educational anchor institution in Jersey City, we’ve established partnerships to ensure the area’s growth directly benefits our students and community members. We seek to improve the lives of everyone in the Garden State, whether creating a home for the arts, bringing educational programs to K-12 students, offering bachelor’s degrees in partnership with community colleges, or providing professional development opportunities for adults.

At NJCU, we’re not just educating minds, we’re nourishing souls and lifting communities. We’re changing the game.