Remembering John Sheridan

October 3rd, 2014 by New Jersey Future staff

The board and staff of New Jersey Future join so many other individuals and organizations who mourn the loss of John Sheridan, an outstanding public servant who brought his wisdom, insight, calm and extraordinary competence to our organization for 10 years as a trustee.

His experiences in both the public realm as a cabinet member and the private realm as a highly-regarded lawyer influenced the way he guided us at New Jersey Future, helping us bring to life our goal for the state to foster the creation of more livable places and open spaces.

When New Jersey Future celebrated its 25th anniversary in 2012, John Sheridan was one of five people who were honored with a leadership award for playing a significant role in shaping the growth and development of New Jersey. His citation recognized John’s new role leading Cooper Hospital, where, late in his career, he seemed to revel in mastering innovative approaches to health care and creating the related facilities in Camden, the city he came to value. The citation concluded by pointing to John’s commitment to “to build in such a way that the surrounding neighborhood is enhanced, not harmed,” and his conviction that the community would “thrive if buildings were designed to welcome people at

L to R: New Jersey Future Executive Director Peter Kasabach, former Governor James Florio, honoree John Sheridan, and New Jersey Future board chairman Peter Reinhart, at New Jersey Future’s 25th anniversary celebration in 2012.

the street level and existing stock was revitalized, creating the potential renaissance for the entire neighborhood.”

We know now, six years after the establishment of the Health Sciences Campus, that our former board member, supporter and friend has helped create the potential for Camden to be renewed and has provided a model for how large institutions can be a catalyst for community revitalization. We mourn the loss of John Sheridan, and we are grateful for his commitment to New Jersey Future and for his legacy of hope for a better Camden and a greater Garden State.