The Southern New Jersey Development Council (SNJDC) hosted a gathering of local business leaders and elected officials at the latest installment of our Public Policy Speaker Series featuring Congressman Donald Norcross at Adelphia’s Banquet Hall in Deptford Township, NJ.
Warren Moore, Executive Vice President & Chief Operating Officer of Inspira Health welcomed those in attendance and provided an update on Inspira’s recent medical center expansions prior to introducing the event’s Keynote Speaker, Congressman Donald Norcross.
Congressman Norcross, who is currently serving in his fifth term in the United States House of Representatives from New Jersey's first congressional district, expressed the need to expand healthcare access in the state, acknowledging the efforts of several local providers in the room including Jefferson Health, Cooper University Health Care, and Virtua Health to increase opportunities in the South Jersey region. Congressman Norcross added “the competition from a decade ago is very different than it is today with the amount of cooperation between these healthcare providers. With healthcare being one of the main economic drivers in South Jersey, going across the river to get care seems to no longer be a thing”.
Congressman Norcross, an electrician by trade and long-time union member, voiced strong
support for expanding alternative career pathways through trade apprenticeships. “The notion that individuals who don’t attend college are viewed differently is a barrier in our education system - we need all types of workers," he said. He emphasized the importance of broadening apprenticeship programs beyond just building trades. The Congressman linked the shortage of skilled tradespeople to the current affordable housing crisis in the state, identifying it as a key challenge alongside supply chain issues.
In conclusion, Congressman Norcross stressed the need for greater U.S. manufacturing independence, particularly in chips and other essential technologies. Highlighting efforts to pass the Biden Administration’s CHIPS & Science Act to establish a domestic supply chain, he remarked, “We cannot afford to lose something so essential to every part of our lives, which is why we are investing billions into chip manufacturing here in the United States.”
Photography courtesy of Stokes Creative Group!
Thank you to all of our sponsors!
Title Sponsor
Inspira Health
Presenting Sponsor
Atlantic City Electric
Host Sponsor
U.A. Local Union 322
Supporting Sponsors
Commerce Construction Corporation
O'Donnell & Naccarato