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67-630: The NJTA was created in 1949 to oversee construction and maintenance of the New Jersey Turnpike. In 2003, the authority assumed control of the Garden State Parkway, which had previously been maintained by an agency known as the New Jersey Highway Authority ( NJHA ). The New Jersey Turnpike Authority is governed by an eight-person Board of Commissioners (with one current vacant seat). The members of

134-695: A Quinnipiac Poll both for the Democratic nomination and in a putative general election matchup against Guadagno. Another poll was less certain, showing most voters undecided. Two debates with his main Democratic rivals, including former U.S. Treasury official Jim Johnson along with Wiesiewski and Lesniak, were held within a short span of time in May; during the second Murphy found himself under sustained attack by his rivals, but defended himself by staking out very progressive positions. Politico wrote, "Underdogs Jim Johnson, Ray Lesniak and John Wisniewski savaged

201-785: A challenge Murphy had to meet. Murphy also began the campaign with little name recognition. He initially planned to lend $ 10 million to the campaign but to also aggressively fund-raise. He said he would accept no so-called dark money and that "I'm holding our campaign to a higher standard." Murphy was the first declared Democratic candidate for governor, although several other candidates were expected to run. Jersey City Mayor Steven Fulop , Assemblyman John Wisniewski of Sayreville , State Senator Raymond Lesniak , and State Senate President Stephen M. Sweeney of Gloucester County were often mentioned in news media along with other candidates. Fulop and Sweeney were geographic rivals, and in terms of state party organizational support, Max Pizarro of

268-647: A number of town halls, including some by telephone on Sunday evenings, and encouraged Democrats to sign petitions critical of incumbent Governor Chris Christie . Unlike New Start New Jersey, New Way for New Jersey was an explicitly political organization. On March 2, 2016, New Way for New Jersey launched a petition that criticized Christie for neglecting his duties as governor due to his travel and support of Donald Trump's presidential campaign . The group implored Christie to "do your job or quit". After Murphy announced his candidacy for governor, New Way for New Jersey folded. In May 2016 Murphy announced his candidacy for

335-613: A number of transactions with the German government's Treuhandanstalt agency, whose purpose was to conduct the privatization of formerly state-owned enterprises within the boundaries of no-longer-extant East Germany . Murphy was also active in the Atlantik-Brücke organization, including co-founding its International Advisor Council. From 1997 to 1999, Murphy served as the President of Goldman Sachs (Asia). In that capacity, he

402-522: A remark by Murphy that Merkel was "insecure" and unfavorable comments by embassy staff about Guido Westerwelle , the German foreign minister. Some German officials expressed desire that Murphy be recalled. In response, Murphy appeared on German television outlets such as ZDF in an attempt at damage control. In Spiegel Online , he said, "I'm a big boy. At the end of the day, the buck stops with me," and that he would not "apologize for one speck" of what his staff had done. On December 5, he apologized for

469-503: A secretary, and father, a high-school dropout who took any job he could (including liquor store manager and for-pay pallbearer), lived paycheck to paycheck. Both of his parents were enthusiastic supporters of John F. Kennedy and volunteered for his campaign in the 1952 United States Senate election in Massachusetts . Murphy played soccer as a boy, an interest that stayed with him in later life. His mother believed strongly in

536-422: A wonderful facility for dealing with people." Dean later said that Murphy well learned the lesson not all such figures of commerce understand: that while in business you can command people to do things, in politics things are never so simple. During his first year, Murphy focused on gaining donations from his contacts from his university years and Goldman Sachs; within that year he was able to substantially reduce

603-591: Is located inside of the New Jersey State House in Trenton , making New Jersey notable as the executive's office is located in the same building as the legislature. New Jersey is also notable for being one of the few states in which the governor's official residence is not located in the state capital. The first and longest-serving governor of New Jersey was William Livingston , who served from August 31, 1776, to July 25, 1790. A. Harry Moore remains

670-414: Is their problem. I don't let it become mine. I'll be the man in the middle and the three of us can work out something everybody is happy with." From 1993 to 1997, Murphy headed the firm's Frankfurt office. His business responsibilities were later expanded to encompass Germany, Switzerland, and Austria, as well as in the emerging post- Warsaw Pact economies of Central Europe. In this role he engaged in

737-707: The 2009 elections . Before this amendment was passed, the President of the New Jersey Senate would simultaneously also serve as governor whenever the office of governor was vacant. This dual position was more powerful than that of an elected governor, as the individual would have a major role in both the legislative and executive branches. The amendment was prompted by New Jersey State Senate President Richard Codey serving as Governor of New Jersey in January 2002 and again from November 2004 to January 2006 after

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804-533: The 2017 gubernatorial election with 56% of the vote. In December 2019, Murphy became the chair of the Democratic Governors Association , a position he held for a year. He was reelected in an unexpectedly close race in 2021 , defeating Republican nominee Jack Ciattarelli with 51.2% of the vote. Murphy is the first Democratic governor of New Jersey to win a second term since Brendan Byrne did so in 1977 . In July 2022, Murphy became

871-467: The Byrne , Kean , Florio , Whitman , and Corzine administrations, video interviews with many members of the respective administrations, information on other American governors, and news updates on all fifty current governors. Phil Murphy Philip Dunton Murphy (born August 16, 1957) is an American politician, diplomat, and financier serving as the 56th governor of New Jersey . A member of

938-565: The Democratic National Committee in the mid-late 2000s under Howard Dean . During his ambassadorial tenure, Murphy dealt with international fallout from the United States diplomatic cables leak . While planning to run for governor of New Jersey, Murphy and his wife Tammy Murphy launched New Start New Jersey, a progressive organization. He defeated Republican, then- Lieutenant Governor Kim Guadagno , in

1005-517: The Democratic Party , he was elected governor in 2017 and narrowly reelected in 2021 . From 2009 to 2013, Murphy served as the U.S. ambassador to Germany under President Barack Obama . Murphy had a 23-year career at Goldman Sachs , where he held several high-level positions and accumulated considerable wealth before retiring in 2006. He is involved in many civic organizations and philanthropic pursuits. He served as finance chairman for

1072-623: The Hasty Pudding Theatricals , a theatrical student society. He then attended the University of Pennsylvania 's Wharton School , where he received a MBA in 1983. Murphy began his career in finance with a summer associate internship at Goldman Sachs in 1982. He was hired after graduating in 1983. He rose in the ranks quickly, later attributing that success to his ability to make deals: "Two people may not like each other and can't work together. Their mutual dislike

1139-608: The New Jersey Senate . More importantly, under the New Jersey constitution, the governor appoints all superior court judges and county prosecutors, although this is done with strong consideration of the preferences of the individual state senators who represent the district where vacancies arise. The governor is also responsible for appointing two constitutionally created officers, the New Jersey attorney general and

1206-565: The New York Observer characterized Murphy as "everyone's number two choice. If Fulop or Sweeney stumbles, Murphy could rocket from zero to 100 overnight." On September 28, 2016, Fulop announced he would not run for governor and endorsed Murphy. On October 6, Sweeney announced he too would not run, citing apparent party support for Murphy, whom he endorsed. The move came as Murphy was corralling dozens of endorsements, including all of those from North Jersey county party committees and

1273-591: The Paris Agreement , an international treaty on climate change . Murphy also ensured that the state sued the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency for suspending the Clean Water Rule . In March, he signed legislation that automatically registers anyone who applies for a driver's license or state ID to vote. By June, Murphy had signed legislation to permit sports betting in the state. In December, he signed into law new legislation that overhauled

1340-643: The commander-in-chief of the New Jersey National Guard forces (when they are not federalized). Unlike many other states that have elections for some cabinet -level positions, under the New Jersey Constitution the governor and lieutenant governor are the only officials elected on a statewide basis. Much like the president of the United States , the governor appoints the entire cabinet, subject to confirmation by

1407-520: The secretary of state of New Jersey , with the approval of the Senate. As amended in January 2002, state law allows for a maximum salary of $ 175,000. Phil Murphy has stated that he will accept the full salary. Jon Corzine accepted a token salary of $ 1 per year as governor. Previous governor Jim McGreevey received an annual salary of $ 157,000, a 10% reduction of the maximum allowed, while Chris Christie , Murphy's immediate predecessor, accepted

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1474-583: The DNC's gap with the Republican National Committee . In all, Murphy says he raised $ 300 million for the DNC. Murphy was also a big donor to Democratic candidates, giving them almost $ 1.5 million by 2009. This included modest contributions to individual candidates and several six-figure sums to party committees. During the hotly contested 2008 Democratic presidential primaries he was a superdelegate but remained uncommitted for most of

1541-484: The Democratic column for the first time since 1989. Murphy campaigned on the following policy proposals: On January 16, 2018, Murphy was sworn in as the 56th governor of New Jersey at the Trenton War Memorial , succeeding Chris Christie . In one of his first executive orders, Murphy signed to revive subsidies for wind power in the state . The next month, he signed legislation committing New Jersey to

1608-410: The Democratic nomination in the 2017 New Jersey gubernatorial election . He became the race's first announced candidate. He said of his rationale, "I am running for governor because New Jersey desperately needs adult leadership that puts our people first." Announcing so early was unusual. Comparisons with unpopular former governor Jon Corzine , another wealthy former Goldman Sachs executive, were

1675-793: The New Jersey Highway Authority, was established in 1952 and responsible for maintaining the Garden State Parkway , which opened to traffic in 1954. In July 2003, the New Jersey Legislature approved and Governor James McGreevey signed into law a bill consolidating the New Jersey Turnpike Authority and the New Jersey Highway Authority. The main headquarters of the Turnpike Authority before consolidation

1742-471: The New Jersey pension crisis, a particularly long-running instance of the state-level pensions crises taking place nationwide . The task force reported its findings in December 2005. By this time Murphy was already considered to be retired from Goldman Sachs. The report decried past state practices, saying that "gimmicks" had been constructed instead of genuine solutions. As chair, Murphy recommended

1809-528: The Republican nominee, in the November general election. In that campaign Guadagno ran as a moderate, attempting to avoid association with both Christie, who held a record-low approval rating for a governor, and Donald Trump . Instead she sought to focus on Murphy's Goldman Sachs background. On July 26, Murphy announced Assemblywoman and Speaker Emerita Sheila Oliver as his running mate. Murphy won

1876-554: The State Department considers his effective start date. He was sworn into the position on September 13. During his tenure, Murphy promoted American trade and focused on engaging Germany's youth through town hall meetings, exchange programs, and social media communication. He said, "The legacy of our time together in Germany will be measured by how well we 'set the table' for tomorrow, by how deeply today's youth understand

1943-553: The State of New Jersey. Governor of New Jersey The governor of New Jersey is the head of government of the U.S. state of New Jersey . The office of governor is an elected position with a four-year term. There is a two consecutive term term limit, with no limitation on non-consecutive terms. The official residence of the governor is Drumthwacket , a mansion located in Princeton, New Jersey . The governor's office

2010-559: The Trump campaign and the early years of the Nazi rise to power in Germany . On November 15, Wisniewski, who gained visibility as a leader of the Fort Lee lane closure scandal investigations, announced his run for governor. In his message he implicitly criticized Murphy, saying "I'm not a Wall Street executive. I haven't made hundreds of millions of dollars by outsourcing jobs. I've learned

2077-585: The Turnpike and Parkway, to comply with the federally mandated National Bridge Inspection Standards (NBIS). On July 22, 2014, the New Jersey Turnpike Authority filed a federal lawsuit against Jersey Boardwalk Pizza, a pizza chain in Florida , for using a logo too similar to the signs for the Garden State Parkway. The suit was ultimately dismissed, despite the NJTA having spent $ 276,000 in legal fees. In summer 2023

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2144-489: The Turnpike and the Parkway, broadcast traffic and weather advisories to patrons over three AM radio channels, and operate more than 200 variable message and speed limit signs. The Authority also has closed-circuit TV cameras that show pictures of current traffic conditions on the Turnpike and the Parkway. The Turnpike Authority is accountable for the inspection and structural integrity of more than 1,000 bridge structures on

2211-505: The best of my knowledge, execute the said office in conformity with the powers delegated to me; and that I will to the utmost of my skill and ability, promote the peace and prosperity and maintain the lawful rights of the said state. So help me God." On November 8, 2005, voters passed an amendment to the New Jersey State Constitution that created the position of Lieutenant Governor of New Jersey , effective with

2278-482: The commission, along with the chairman, are appointed by the Governor of New Jersey . As of 2023, the commissioners are: The New Jersey Turnpike Authority was created by special legislation on April 14, 1949, to regulate the New Jersey Turnpike, which opened to traffic on November 30, 1951. It issued revenue bonds to finance the road based solely on future tolls , without using tax money. Another agency, known as

2345-407: The company generated profits. In 2001, Murphy became global co-head of the firm's Investment Management Division. This unit oversaw the investments of foundations, pensions, hedge funds, and wealthy personages, and by 2003 had amassed $ 373 billion in holdings. Hedge funds, in particular, received large lines of credit from Murphy's unit. Another company initiative that Murphy helped to undertake

2412-477: The contest. Murphy served as United States Ambassador to Germany under President Barack Obama from 2009 to 2013. The possibility of his being named to the post was first reported by Spiegel Online International in May 2009. The former U.S. Ambassador John Kornblum supported the choice, saying, "Murphy has been involved in German-American relations for many years. He's a good choice." An agrément

2479-490: The election, saying, "As with so many, I am disappointed by the [presidential] results from Tuesday. But I refuse to be discouraged. And I won't be dissuaded from working to make New Jersey a fairer, more just place for all of us." Murphy subsequently drew criticism from the New Jersey Lieutenant Governor and Republican candidate for governor, Kim Guadagno , for seeming to draw a comparison between

2546-455: The first National Governors Association chair from New Jersey. Murphy was born in Needham, Massachusetts , and was raised in both Needham and nearby Newton , the son of Dorothy Louise (Dunton) and Walter F. Murphy. The family was Irish American , with Phil being third generation. According to Murphy, his household was "middle class on a good day;" by his recollection, his mother,

2613-436: The front-runner, Phil Murphy, accusing him during the 90-minute televised contest of buying off party bosses and being disingenuous on environmental issues." Subsequent campaigning by those three continued to emphasize that Murphy was "buying" the election. Nonetheless, polls continued to show Murphy with a sizable lead over all rivals. With $ 19 million raised, of which $ 15 million was his own money, Murphy continued to spend

2680-688: The full gubernatorial salary. The governor has a full-time protective security detail from the Executive Protection Unit of the New Jersey State Police while in office. A former governor is entitled to a one-person security detail from the New Jersey State Police for up to six months after leaving office. "I, [name of governor], elected governor of the state of New Jersey, do solemnly promise and swear that I will diligently, faithfully and to

2747-570: The general election with approximately 56% of the vote, an overall percentage similar to the previous winning non-incumbent Democrat, Jim McGreevey , for said office ( 2001 ; 56.4%), almost completely wiping out the unusually large gains made by his predecessor, Chris Christie, in 2013 (60.3% of the vote - only the normally Democratic counties of Essex and Hudson voted for Christie's opponent, Barbara Buono ; by contrast, Murphy won normally Democratic municipalities by margins more similar to Jon Corzine's in 2005 , and pull roughly 50/50 Somerset County into

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2814-412: The importance of education, and Phil and his three older siblings all earned college degrees. Murphy graduated from Needham High School , along with future Massachusetts Governor Charlie Baker , in 1975. He graduated from Harvard University in 1979 with a Bachelor of Arts degree in economics. At Harvard he aspired to become a professional musical theater performer and was elected president of

2881-557: The leak in Welt am Sonntag . Murphy later said that the episode was "incredibly awkward and embarrassing" but that the two countries worked through it, and that in the end Germany-United States relations were stronger than ever. Regarding the European debt crisis , Murphy said in 2013, "The big debate in Europe, which I think is a false debate, is either fiscal consolidation or growth. And

2948-430: The longest-serving popularly elected governor. The current and 56th governor is Phil Murphy , a Democrat who assumed office on January 16, 2018. The governor is directly elected by the voters to become the political and ceremonial head of the state. The governor performs the executive functions of the state, and is not directly subordinate to the federal authorities. The governor assumes additional roles, such as being

3015-421: The most of all the candidates; his spending was more than twice that of all the other Democratic and Republican candidates for governor combined. He also donated $ 1.5 million to the various county party organizations as well as to some candidates for local offices. Murphy captured the endorsement of the first major national figure to inject himself into the race, former Vice President Joe Biden . Additionally, he

3082-421: The most populous Central Jersey county committees. As a result of these withdrawals Murphy became the clear front-runner for the nomination, but Wisniewski and Lesniak, the two best-known remaining potential candidates, both said they still intended to run. After the unexpected result of the 2016 United States presidential election , Murphy noted that the fortunes of the state Democratic Party had improved in

3149-539: The old NJTA headquarters was demolished. The New Jersey Turnpike Authority is one third of the participants of a Traffic Management Center (TMC) called STMC (Statewide Traffic Management Center) located in Woodbridge Township. STMC is also the home to New Jersey Department of Transportation and the New Jersey State Police . The STMC is staffed 24/7 and is responsible for the coordination & logistics of statewide resources during major incidents within

3216-409: The ongoing relevance of the transatlantic bridge. They are tomorrow's leaders and our investment in their future is our highest priority." In doing so he paid particular attention to children who had immigrated to Germany , who rarely had the opportunity to meet Americans. The United States diplomatic cables leak contained negative statements Murphy signed about senior German politicians, including

3283-455: The reality is that Europe needs both: it needs fiscal consolidation and growth." Regarding economic differences between the nations, he said, "Germany believes strongly that the first order of business is to cut your debts and deficits and from that, good things will come. We're more likely to say a little bit of stimulus will jump-start things, even if it means incurring more debt. But you work your way through those issues." On May 29, 2013, it

3350-664: The report's legacy may well be that it tried to tackle the issues head-on." After leaving Goldman Sachs, Murphy served from 2006 to 2009 as the National Finance Chair of the Democratic National Committee (DNC), where he worked with DNC Chair Howard Dean . Murphy liked both Dean's vision for the party and the discipline Dean brought to the task, and the two became close friends. It was Murphy who financed Dean's " 50-state strategy ". Powerful Democrats in Congress such as Charles Schumer and Rahm Emanuel opposed

3417-574: The resignations of elected Governors Christine Todd Whitman and Jim McGreevey . Kim Guadagno , a former prosecutor, was sworn in as New Jersey's first lieutenant governor on January 19, 2010, under Governor Chris Christie . Guadagno was succeeded by former assemblywoman Sheila Oliver , who was sworn in on January 16, 2018, under Governor Phil Murphy . On August 1, 2023, the lieutenant governor position became vacant on August 1, 2023, when Oliver died in office. On September 8, 2023, Governor Murphy selected Tahesha Way , New Jersey's Secretary of State, as

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3484-469: The sale of publicly owned assets. For the most part that did not happen, but some of his other suggestions, such as raising the age of retirement and recalculating how pensions related to salary earned, were taken. Labor unions opposed the recommendations, with leader Carla Katz saying, "We will fight vigorously and loudly against any cuts to our pensions or health benefits proposed by the task force." The New York Times wrote that "no matter what happens,

3551-467: The sense the Marine Corps is elite". In 1999, Murphy secured a spot on the firm's management committee. There his colleagues included Hank Paulson and Gary Cohn , both of whom later served at highest levels of the federal government. This coincided with the repeal of Glass–Steagall ; the repeal allowed Murphy and his colleagues to make much greater use of leverage and profoundly changed how

3618-474: The strategy, but Murphy refused to visibly engage in this dispute, saying, "I'm a sucker for the view that you have it out in the locker room, not in public." Former Goldman Sachs colleague and U.S. Secretary of the Treasury Robert Rubin said of Murphy's ability to handle the new position, "He has very substantial technical expertise from his corporate finance work, but he combines that with

3685-589: The third lieutenant governor of New Jersey, to succeed Oliver and serve out the remainder of Oliver's term. In 2005, the Center on the American Governor was established at the Eagleton Institute of Politics at Rutgers University to study the governors of New Jersey and, to a lesser degree, the governors of other states. The program features extensive archives of documents and pictures from

3752-410: The value of public service..." In January 2017 Murphy was endorsed by New Jersey's two U.S. senators, Bob Menendez and Cory Booker . He also had the endorsements of all 21 county party organizations. In statewide races, these designations offer favorable ballot position, which some voters pick by default, and are often central to success. By February 2017 Murphy was leading by a solid margin in

3819-477: The way NJ Transit is managed. In April 2019, Murphy signed a law allowing terminally ill patients with less than six months to live to choose to end their lives with a doctor's assistance. A month later, he signed legislation expanding the time period during which alleged sexual assault victims could sue their alleged attackers. In June, Murphy signed a law restricting the use of solitary confinement in New Jersey prisons. In October, he announced his opposition to

3886-453: Was already seriously considering running for governor when the organization was founded, telling Podesta that his ambitions were " very serious but not yet committed" and that the new entity would improve his name recognition. ) After Murphy announced his candidacy for governor, New Start New Jersey continued, albeit without Murphy on its board. In September 2015, Murphy launched the progressive organization New Way for New Jersey, which held

3953-593: Was announced that Murphy was stepping down from the post. He was still ambassador as of July 3; he returned to the United States at some point during July and formally stayed in the role until his mission terminated on August 26. Murphy was mentioned as a potential candidate in the 2013 New Jersey gubernatorial election , but did not run. Instead, upon returning to the U.S. after his ambassadorship, he rejoined Murphy Endeavors LLC (a business management consultancy firm with offices in Red Bank, New Jersey , at which he

4020-416: Was co-founder, chair, and secretary. The organization said it would neither endorse nor fund political candidates, as it was barred from doing so, but it raised Murphy's political visibility. Its events included an appearance by singer Jon Bon Jovi . One of its goals was to help displaced workers back into the work force. (Making reference to visibility, in 2016 hacked Podesta emails revealed that Murphy

4087-403: Was endorsed by former Vice President Al Gore , which helped solidify Murphy's environmentalist credentials after some attacks on his role as a financier investing in fracking operations. He also had the fundraising support of wealthy entertainment figures Jon Bon Jovi and Whoopi Goldberg . Most, though not all, of the key labor unions in the state, also supported Murphy. Nevertheless, there

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4154-933: Was in East Brunswick , while the main headquarters of the Highway Authority was in Woodbridge Township . A few years later, the headquarters of the consolidated Turnpike Authority was relocated to an eight-story office tower on Main Street in Woodbridge, nearby exit 11 on the NJ Turnpike. The Woodbridge building that once housed the Highway Authority now houses the Statewide Traffic Management Center, from which Turnpike Authority personnel monitor traffic on

4221-668: Was issued, and Obama formally nominated him to the position on July 9. Murphy was confirmed by the United States Senate on August 7, and appeared with his family in Berlin on August 21. That they arrived in an expensive Gulfstream V executive jet irked Chancellor Merkel , who saw it as evidence of the long practice of presidents awarding wealthy donors with ambassadorships. Murphy presented his credentials in Berlin to German President Horst Koehler on September 3, which

4288-716: Was officed in Hong Kong . During this time Goldman Sachs profited from its investment in Yue Yuen Industrial Holdings , a shoe manufacturer that became notorious for its harsh labor practices. The $ 55 million investment was made the year before Murphy took the Asia post and it is unclear to what extent Murphy was aware of the firm's operational characteristics. In 1998 Murphy told the Wall Street Journal that "We [at Goldman Sachs] are elite in

4355-565: Was still a sense of apathy about the election on the part of the state's voters; as the New York Times stated shortly before the primary vote, "a majority of voters still say they 'don't know' who to vote for and are not doing much to find out." Murphy won the June 6 primary decisively, with 48% of the vote. Johnson and Wisniewski finished second and third with 22% apiece, Lesniak got 5%, and scattered others less. Murphy faced Guadagno,

4422-496: Was the principal). He started the firm in 2009 after leaving the DNC position, but it was soon put on hold due to his ambassadorial nomination. He also gave speeches about his experiences in Germany, especially in connection with the 25th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall . In 2014, Murphy created New Start New Jersey, a nonprofit progressive policy think tank that held a number of events around New Jersey. His wife

4489-553: Was the unit that did major business in the emerging markets within the EMEA region. In 2003, Murphy's day-to-day responsibilities at the firm ended, and he became a Senior Director of the firm. He retired in 2006. Murphy spent 23 years at Goldman Sachs in all. In May 2005, Governor Richard Codey named Murphy to chair the New Jersey Benefits Task Force on public sector employee benefits in response to

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