President Andrés Acebo and Two Foundation Board Members Among NJCU Notables Named to 2023 ROI People of Color Influencers List
JERSEY CITY, N.J. | New Jersey City University (NJCU) Interim President Andrés Acebo has been named to the ROI Influencers People of Color list for 2023 by ROI-NJ, a statewide leading business publication.
Acebo was recognized for his work leading the university from financial emergency to recovery and setting the school’s path forward for the future — doubling down on the institution’s mission which includes educating first-generation students from underserved areas. He is the only current Hispanic president in the state of New Jersey and only the second Hispanic to ever lead a university in the state.
It is the third time Acebo has been recognized by ROI-NJ since being appointed NJCU President in January 2023; he previously was named to the 2023 Super 60 Power List and the 2023 ROI Influencers Power List for Higher Education.
Acebo is joined on the list by two members of the NJCU Foundation Board — Jeffrey Martinez, the executive vice president and head of branch banking at PNC Bank, who joined the NJCU Foundation during the 2021-22 academic year, and Jose Lozano, Senior Vice President of Strategic Partnerships at Hackensack Meridian Health, who became the newest member of the NJCU Foundation Board this summer.
Ryan Haygood, the CEO of the New Jersey Institute for Social Justice, was named to the list. He received an honorary doctorate degree from NJCU during its May 2023 Commencement when he addressed the graduates. NJCU alumnus and football great Honorable Jose L. Linares ‘75, a partner at the law firm McCarter & English, who was the first Hispanic in the history of the New Jersey Federal Court to serve as Chief District Court Judge, and the first Cuban-born to serve as Federal District Court Chief in the United States, was also recognized. Linares received an honorary doctorate from NJCU during its 2018 commencement.
ROI-NJ debuted its various Influencers lists in 2018, which have expanded to include other critical sectors including higher education and labor. Created by Prospect Publishing Group and led by longtime industry leaders Tom Bergeron and Tom Hughes; ROI-NJ delivers real-time news and features that provide New Jersey’s diverse business community with a Return On Information, while creating dynamic engagements among influencers.
About NJCU:
New Jersey City University is an institution of higher learning dedicated to the development of our students, our city, our communities, and our state. We are a game-changing force for our students and have been recognized as one of the top colleges in the nation improving their upward economic mobility. Whether enrolled in one of our undergraduate, graduate, or doctoral programs at our three locations, NJCU students have access to an affordable, diverse environment, and an exceptionally supportive faculty. This prepares them to go on to become the next generation of workers and leaders who improve their communities and the State of New Jersey.
Contact:
Ira Thor, Associate Vice President for University Communications (interim) | ithor@njcu.edu | 201-200-3301