There’s a new name heading up the list of the Garden State’s most powerful people.
Jared Kushner is now leading the pack, according to NJBiz, which released its list of top 100 most powerful people in New Jersey business.
The son-in-law and one of President Donald Trump’s top advisers, Kushner knocked out Gov. Chris Christie, who held the No. 1 position for NJBiz’s past five rankings.
NJBIZ ranked the names after consulting people within the state’s business community.
“(Kushner’s) influence over desperately needed infrastructure projects (starting with the Gateway tunnel), health care and the selection of the next U.S. Attorney for New Jersey made him an obvious pick for the top spot in our rankings,” the report said.
Those who voted said the governor still has power, but his influence is waning because he’s nearing the end of his last term in office.
Democrat Phil Murphy, who’s put his name in the hat for the upcoming gubernatorial race, jumped from 84 all the way to No. 3.
NJBIZ said although it reached out to more women and diverse people within the business community for input, the list itself is lacking women leaders.
“We’re still sorry to see that not enough women are in key positions in companies around the state.”
Thirty-two new names appear on this year’s list, while 31 people fell off the list from the previous one.
President Donald Trump, who last held the 100th position in 2016, is among those missing from the 2017 list.
Here are the top 10:
10. Chris Paladino is president of New Brunswick Development Corp.
9. Cory Booker is a junior senator from the Garden State and former mayor of Newark.
8. John Degnan has a lot of power as chairman of the Port Authority. He earned his spot on the list for standing up to New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo, saying the proposal to build the new bus terminal was a New Jersey project.
7. Anthony Coscia: as board chairman for Amtrak, he’s one of the people behind the Gateway Tunnel project — the plan to expand and renovate the Northeast Corridor line between New Jersey and New York.
6. Stephen Sweeney is the senate president of New Jersey and has served in the state senate since 2002.
5. Jon Hanson‘s longstanding relationship as advisor to Gov. Chris Christie has included the American Dream Mall in Meadowlands and helping to fix Atlantic City.
4. George Norcross is a South Jersey Democrat and executive chairman of the insurance firm Conner Strong & Buckelew.
3. Phil Murphy is a Democratic candidate for the 2017 gubernatorial race in New Jersey.
2. Chris Christie has served as New Jersey governor since 2010.
1. Jared Kushner is a real estate developer and the son-in-law and senior adviser to President Donald Trump.
You can check out the entire list of names on NJBIZ’s top 100 most powerful people in New Jersey business here.
Rajeev Dhir may be reached at rdhir@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @googasmammoo. Find NJ.com on Facebook.
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