John F. Scarpa of Avalon and Palm Beach, and formerly of Vineland recently received the Distinguished Lifetime Achievement Award from the William J. Hughes Center for Public Policy at Stockton University. The biennial awards ceremony that acknowledges outstanding New Jerseyans for excellence in their field and for a commitment to public service, civility and bipartisanship. More than 150 people attended the event in the Campus Center Event Room.

Scarpa is an entrepreneur who grew up in Vineland and established successful businesses in cable television, radio, the internet, and cellular communications. He helped establish the New Jersey and the Northeast Cable TV Association and was a co-founder, president and COO of American Cellular Network Corporation.

He has shared his financial success through extensive philanthropy, by establishing the John F. Scarpa Foundation.

In 2019, he donated $8 million to Stockton University in support of academic programs in Atlantic City and the Health Sciences program at the Galloway campus.

In accepting his award, Scarpa focused on the legacy of Ambassador Hughes. “He brought civility and bipartisanship to everything he did. Most important to him was the goal to work together for the common good,” Scarpa said. “His willingness to listen, his drive to give back, are things I humbly believe in and try to lead with each day. We must lead with civility, ingenuity, determination, and passion to prepare our youth.”

This content originally appeared in NJ Stage