This year, your favorite regional business publication has started a new feature—South Jersey’s People to Watch.
  We’re spotlighting the men and women who are positioned to do something special in 2009…and beyond. So far, we’ve looked at Burlington, Gloucester, Cumberland, Salem, and Cape May counties.
  We know that we will overlook some key people. But that’s the nature of lists. So, here’s our fifth list of the People to Watch…10 men and women who will play key roles in Atlantic County in the months ahead.
  Check it out. And then drop us a note at news@snjbp.com and tell us who to watch in your county. (Ocean County is next on the list.)

People to Watch in Atlantic County
 
  Ken Calemmo—Chairman to the Greater Atlantic City Chamber of Commerce: As Chief Operating Officer of Cooper Levenson. Calemmo oversees all day-to-day operations of one of Atlantic City’s and the region’s dominant law firms. Cooper Levinson has grown to include 70 attorneys, eight offices in four states, and more than 100 staff members and Calemmo oversees all aspects of the business from accounting to marketing, human resources, and information systems. Previously the administrator for Gibbons, Buckley, Smith, Palmer & Proud in Media, PA, Calemmo was also Office Manager for Pennsylvania Senator Arlen Specter's Washington operation and seven regional offices in Pennsylvania. In addition to his position at Cooper Levenson, Calemmo currently serves as the Chairman to the Greater Atlantic City Chamber of Commerce, a Board Member to the Atlantic City Community Development Corporation, a member of the Atlantic City Special Improvement District, serves on the Executive Board to the Board of Directors of the Atlantic Cape Community College Foundation, serves as Vice-Chairman to the New Jersey Organization for a Better State (NEWJOBS), serves as Vice-Chair to the Board of Directors to  St. Augustine Preparatory School, sits on the Wildwood Catholic High School Advisory Board and has been a member of the Newfield National Bank’s Advisory Board since 2006. Calemmo obtained his degree in public administration from the University of Scranton, where he served as a member of the Bard of Governors of the Alumni Society.
  Tom Carver—Executive Director, CRDA: Carver has his work cut out for him as he tries to get Atlantic City back on track in the face of new competition and the economic down turn. Prior to his appointment as Executive Director for CRDA, Carver served as the Commissioner of the Department of Labor and Workforce Development, where he managed a department of nearly 4,000 employees and was charged with fostering economic growth, promoting job-creation, enhancing business and labor relationships, as well as creating a world-class workforce in New Jersey. Carver also served as a managing partner of The Castle Group, LLC, a government affairs firm with expertise in transportation issues, and was the first President of the New Jersey Aviation Association.  He is also the founder of The Carver Group, a multifaceted consulting firm with a strong background in equal opportunity employment and minority entrepreneurship. 
  A former President of the Casino Association of New Jersey, Carver made substantial changes to New Jersey’s gaming policy and forged new initiatives with minority and women’s businesses. At one time the Assistant General Manager of Newark Airport, Carver is a 22-year veteran of the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey.  A 1958 graduate of Saint Peter’s College, has served on the College’s Board of Regents since 1986. A member of the New Jersey Bar, Carver graduated from New York Law School and attended the New York University Graduate School of Law.
  Joe Corbo—President, Casino Association of New Jersey: Can there be a more challenging position in the state right now than trying to protect the future for the state’s beleaguered casino industry? Corbo is vice president and general counsel of the Borgata Hotel Casino & Spa. An executive in the gaming industry for nearly 18 years, he currently is serving his second term as president of the Casino Association. Previously, he served as vice president and general counsel of The Venetian, Las Vegas, where he was extensively involved in both the pre-opening development and post-opening operation phases. Corbo earned a BA in Economics from Wake Forrest University and a JD from Rutgers.  He clerked for Superior Court judge David Eynon, then joined the law firm of Cooper, Perskie, April, Niedelman, Wagenheim and Levenson.  In 1990, Corbo moved to Resorts International where he served as Associate Counsel, then moved on to Associate General Counsel at Harrah's Atlantic City. Prior to joining the legal department of Park Place Entertainment in May 2000, he served as Vice President and General Counsel for the Venetian in Las Vegas and was extensively involved in the planning and operation of the 3,000 room resort. He is admitted to practice law in New Jersey, Pennsylvania and Nevada and is a member of the American, New Jersey State and Atlantic County Bar Associations.
  Kevin DeSanctis—CEO, Revel: Chief Executive Officer and Chairman of the Board of Shreveport Capital Corporation, a subsidiary of Hollywood Casino Shreveport since May 2003, DeSanctis serves as the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Revel Entertainment Group, LLC and serves as its Chief Operating Officer. Revel’s $2 billion, ocean-themed casino is now on hold at the northern end of the boardwalk, next to the Showboat Casino Hotel.
DeSanctis has worked for Donald Trump, Steve Wynn, Chris Hemmeter and Sol Kerzner. Trump's former Plaza kingpin also opened the Mirage for Wynn, Mohegan Sun for Kerzner and he operated in Black Hawk, near Denver, for Hemmeter. In 2001, he became COO of Penn National Gaming, the Wyomissing, Pennsylvania, company (outside of Reading), where he transformed Penn National from racetrack to major gaming force. With the acquisition of Argosy and its successful formula of reviving tracks with slot machines, Penn National had become the third-largest United States public gaming company. DeSanctis flew west with Dennis Gomes, spent several years in Nevada and opened the Mirage for Wynn. He returned to Atlantic City and became a major player for Trump in the early '90s. From 1995 to 2000, DeSanctis served as Chief Operating Officer, North America of Sun International Hotels Ltd. where he was responsible for complete oversight of day-to-day operations of the Sun International Hotels Ltd.'s gaming properties in North America and the Bahamas. Prior to joining Sun International, DeSanctis’ experience included management and pre-opening responsibilities for gaming operations in Las Vegas, Atlantic City, New Orleans and Colorado.
  Bart Mueller—Executive Director, South Jersey Transportation Authority: SJTA’s executive director since 2006, Mueller—as much as anyone—is responsible for getting people into and out of Atlantic City. At SJTA, Mueller has been responsible for a series of projects designed to provide safe and efficient transportation to residents and tourists, including managing the E-Z Pass system. He is also responsible for one of the region’s biggest economic engines, Atlantic City International Airport, which has a total economic impact that approaches an impressive half billion dollars annually. Employment is a big factor in the airport’s role as an economic driver in the region, with more than 10,700 jobs created by all aviation-related activities on the airport property. Airport operations alone employ more than 4,500 people with a total payroll of $136 million annually. Of the million-plus travelers who used ACY for travel in 2007, more than 360,000 of them were visitors to the region who spent $185 million at local businesses during their stay—an average of $514 daily. Mueller and SJTA are part of a group effort to grow service at ACY. The group includes the Convention and Visitors Authority, CRDA, the Atlantic City Chamber, Spirit Airlines (the airport’s main carrier), and all of the casinos. This consortium is targeting three key metro markets—Boston, Atlanta, and Chicago—with a focus on generating convention business for AC. Before joining SJTA, Mueller was Director of the Camden County Department of Parks for three years. Prior to his state government service, he worked for Bell Atlantic New Jersey for more than 24 years—working his way from lineman and cable splicer to network manager.
  Vince Polistina—Republican Assemblyman, Atlantic County: A life-long resident of Atlantic County, Polistina was raised in Galloway Township prior to moving to Egg Harbor Township. A 1989 graduate of Absegami High School, Polistina attended Rutgers University and received a Bachelor of Science degree in Bioenvironmental Engineering in 1993. He has specialized in the design and construction management of water and wastewater systems throughout his career. He received his Professional Engineer’s License in 1999 and Professional Planner’s License in 2000. He is also a registered Certified Municipal Engineer in the State of New Jersey. Polistina formed the engineering firm Polistina & Associates in 2003. Located in Egg Harbor Township with 12 employees. Prior to the establishment of his own firm, Polistina worked as the Township Planner for Galloway Township, Egg Harbor Township and Hamilton Township. He has also served the Planning and Zoning Boards of all three communities. Polistina has also been responsible for professional engineering and planning services on behalf of Atlantic County, Longport, and the Atlantic City, Northfield, and Egg Harbor City Boards of Education. A former Chairman of the Egg Harbor Township Police Athletic League, he has served as both the President and Treasurer of the United Republican Club of Egg Harbor Township.
  David Tilton—President, AtlantiCare: Successor to the legendary George Lynn at Atlanticare, Tilton received his Masters degree in Business Administration from Rutgers University in Camden, and his BS from Rider University. He began his healthcare career as a student at Memorial Hospital of Salem County, where he was later appointed as vice president. Tilton also served as associate general director of Albert Einstein Medical Center in Philadelphia. Tilton joined AtlantiCare Regional Medical Center in 1987 as administrator of the hospital’s Mainland campus. During AtlantiCare’s transformation from a two-campus community hospital to part of the regional health system, Tilton played an instrumental role. Known for his focus on quality improvement, Tilton led ARMC in becoming one of the elite hospitals nationwide to achieve the J.D. Power and Associates Distinguished Hospital designation in 2004, 2005, and in 2006 for providing “an outstanding patient experience.” Under his leadership, ARMC became only the 105th hospital in the nation to be designated a nurse Magnet™ hospital, the nursing profession’s highest honor. He has served as general campaign chairman and as a member of the Board of Trustees of the United Way of Atlantic County, chairman of the Board of Directors of Franklin Savings Bank in Woodstown, and serves as a diplomat of the American College of Healthcare Executives. Tilton served as honorary chairman of the 2003 Festival Latino-Americano in Atlantic City and  was recognized by the Atlantic City Branch of the NAACP with its Freedom Fund Award in 2004. The Hispanic Alliance of Atlantic County presented him with its inaugural Leadership Award for his contributions to the Hispanic Community in 2004 and in 2003, the Jersey Shore Council of Boy Scouts of America honored Tilton for his efforts to improve the quality of life for the residents of the region.
  Jeff Vasser—Executive Director, ACCVA: As executive director of the Atlantic City Convention & Visitors Authority, Vasser markets the Atlantic City region as a favored destination for visitors and conventions and oversees the daily operations of the public authority responsible for two major convention and event facilities and marketing the destination that anchors the region's $8 billion tourism industry. The ACCVA operates and markets both the Atlantic City Convention Center and Atlantic City Boardwalk Hall, an award-winning events center, as well as two Visitor Information Centers. The ACCVA also serves as the marketing arm for Atlantic City Golf Vacations (formerly the Greater Atlantic City Golf Association). The ACCVA is supported by a membership of nearly 400 businesses involved in supporting the local hospitality community. ACCVA members represent a wide business sector, including hotels, attractions, restaurants, transportation companies and others. The ACCVA’s goal is to attract visitors over the age of 21, including conventions, meetings, tour groups, business travel and leisure travel who will spend their time in Atlantic City enjoying first-class hotels, gaming, dining, shopping, spas and entertainment throughout the year. Vasser was selected as the 2007 Businessman of the Year by the Greater Atlantic City Chamber. A graduate of Cornell's School of Hotel Administration with a concentration in casino management, Vasser has served in key capacities in hospitality companies, including Choice Hotels International, Prime Hospitality, Laventhol & Horwath, and Four Seasons. He has also done international consulting in Venezuela and served as a Senior Consultant with the Public Sector/Gaming and Entertainment Group of Deloitte & Touche, where he did a re-use analysis study of the Atlantic City Convention Hall. He also served as Chief Financial Officer of Cipriani International, overseeing areas such as accounting and finance to human resources, facilities, and MIS for the $60 million diversified restaurant and foodservice company. Vasser received his Master of Public Administration from Columbia University, School of International and Public Affairs, attended an Executive Education Program at Harvard, and is a graduate of  Atlantic City High
School.
  Jim Whelan—Democratic Senator: A veteran teacher and a former mayor of Atlantic City, Whelan was elected to represent the 2nd Legislative District which includes Absecon, Atlantic City, Brigantine, Corbin City, Egg Harbor, Egg Harbor Township, Estell Manor, Galloway, Hamilton, Linwood, Longport, Margate, Mullica, Northfield, Pleasantville, Port Republic, Ventnor, and Weymouth. Born in Philadelphia, Whelan attended Temple University, where he became a nationally ranked distance swimmer. His athletic achievements ultimately led to his induction in the Temple University Athletic Hall of Fame in 1995. After graduating college, Whelan taught swimming at an Atlantic City elementary school. He spent summers working as an ocean lifeguard, and has taught in Atlantic City schools for the past 28 years. Whelan served as an Atlantic City Councilman from 1982 to 1990, and as Mayor from 1990 to 2001 when he began to serve as president of the New Jersey Conference of Mayors. While serving as Mayor, Whelan reorganized city departments to help clean up the streets, razed hazardous buildings, and lowered the crime rate—while reducing the number of employees on the city payroll. Under his stewardship, Atlantic City attracted more than $4.5 billion in new business starts and expansions, creating thousands of new jobs.
  Sam Young—Chair-elect, Greater Atlantic City Chamber: Young is the owner, President and Chief Executive Officer of Tilton Fitness Management, which develops, owns and operates commercial and hospital-affiliated health and fitness clubs, located in Galloway. Young is chairmen-elect of the greater AC Chamber, and is on the board of directors. He holds a Bachelors Degree in Finance and Economics from the University of Richmond and a Post-Baccalaureate degree in Accounting from the University of Florida. He served eight years on active duty in the United States Navy and was recently selected for promotion to the rank of Captain in the Naval Reserve. He completed five months of active duty overseas in support of Operations Iraqi Freedom and Enduring Freedom. Young served as President of the Somers Point Rotary Club and as the Co-Chairperson of the American Heart Association Atlantic/Cape May County Walkathon.