Alan Sagner
Alan L. Sagner | |
---|---|
Chairman of the William J. Ronan | |
Succeeded by | Philip D. Kaltenbacher |
Commissioner of the New Jersey Department of Transportation | |
In office January 21, 1974 โ August 15, 1977 | |
Governor | Brendan Byrne |
Preceded by | John Kohl |
Succeeded by | Russell Mullen |
Personal details | |
Born | University of Maryland; M.A., Columbia University | September 13, 1920
Alan Louis Sagner (September 13, 1920 โ January 3, 2018) was an American Democratic Party politician, businessman and philanthropist who served as New Jersey Commissioner of Transportation, as Chairman of the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, and as Chairman of the Corporation for Public Broadcasting.
Early life
Sagner was born on September 13, 1920, in
Sagner became active in the community as President of the
Political career
Sagner became active in politics in 1960 on behalf of former Illinois governor Adlai Stevenson, who was mounting a third bid for the Democratic presidential nomination. He attended the Democratic National Convention in Los Angeles as a Stevenson volunteer. He became involved in Democrats for Good Government, a group seeking to reform the Democratic Party in Essex County, New Jersey, in opposition to the Democratic County Chairman, Dennis F. Carey. He was part of the successful campaign of Richard J. Hughes for Governor of New Jersey, and served as New Jersey co-chairman of Citizens for Humphrey-Muskie in 1968.[6]
In 1973, Sagner became the finance chairman for Brendan Byrne, who was seeking the Democratic nomination for Governor of New Jersey.[7]
He was a delegate to the 1984 Democratic National Convention, pledged to Walter Mondale.[8]
Sagner was a trustee of the Democratic National Committee in from 1988 to 1992, and served as chairman of the New Jersey Business Council for Clinton-Gore in 1992.
He was a founder of the Fair Play for Cuba Committee in 1960.[9]
Commissioner of transportation
On January 3, 1975, Governor-elect Brendan Byrne appointed Sagner to serve in his cabinet as the New Jersey Commissioner of Transportation. In his announcement, Byrne stressed that while Sagner lacked transportation experience, he had strong administrative abilities. He named Manuel Carballo, a former assistant counsel to Governor Hughes and the Acting Highway Commissioner under New York City Mayor John Lindsay, as the Deputy Commissioner.[10]
In 1975, the executive board of the New Jersey AFL-CIO called for Sagner's resignation amidst a bitter dispute between organized labor over Sagner's unsuccessful efforts to obtain federal highway construction funds.[11] A month later, Sagner acknowledged that John Nero, a Camden County Democratic leader, had offered $25,000 to the 1973 Byrne campaign in exchange for appointment as the head of the state Alcoholic Beverage Control Commission. Sagner told investigators looking into corruption allegations that he turned Nero down.[12]
Port Authority of New York and New Jersey Chairman
Sagner resigned as Commissioner of Transportation in June 1977 to become the Chairman of the
Corporation for Public Broadcasting
President Bill Clinton nominated Sagner to serve on the Board of Director of the Corporation for Public Broadcasting on March 8, 1994.[17] On May 10, 1994, the United States Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation met to consider Sagner's nomination. Sagner's nomination initially faced opposition from Senate Republicans, who criticized his ownership of The Nation, a magazine with a liberal political philosophy, and Senator John McCain questioned his involvement as a founder of the Fair Play for Cuba Committee in 1960. McCain also questioned Sagner's experience in public broadcasting issues and viewed him as a political appointee who would continue when McCain and Senate Minority Leader Bob Dole called a liberal bias in political reporting.[18]
After a five-month battle, he was eventually confirmed by the Senate.[19]
Sagner served as Chairman of the CPB from 1996 to 1997.
Later years
Sagner was married to Ruth Levin Sagner (1924-1995), a social worker, from 1945 until her death on January 27, 1995.[20] The Sagners were residents of South Orange, New Jersey.[21] They had three children: John Sagner, Deborah Sagner Buurma, and Amy Sagner Pouliot.[22] On December 1, 1996, Sagner married Lenore Green Schottenstein (Born 1935), a director of M/I Schottenstein Company, a Columbus, Ohio home building company.[23]
He served as a trustee of The Century Foundation.[24]
Sagner died at his home in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida, on January 3, 2018. He was aged 97.[25]
References
- ^ "Lenore Schottenstein, Alan Sagner". New York Times. 1 December 1996. Retrieved 25 March 2016.
- ^ "Sagner-Levin". New York Times. 22 October 1945.
- ISBN 9780765804938.
- ^ Aron, Michael. "Interview with Alan Sagner". Center on the American Governor. Eagleton Institute of Politics, Rutgers University. Archived from the original on 7 April 2016. Retrieved 25 March 2016.
- ^ Aron, Michael. "Interview with Alan Sagner". Center on the American Governor. Eagleton Institute of Politics, Rutgers University. Archived from the original on 7 April 2016. Retrieved 25 March 2016.
- ^ Aron, Michael. "Interview with Alan Sagner". Center on the American Governor. Eagleton Institute of Politics, Rutgers University. Archived from the original on 7 April 2016. Retrieved 25 March 2016.
- ^ Aron, Michael. "Interview with Alan Sagner". Center on the American Governor. Eagleton Institute of Politics, Rutgers University. Archived from the original on 7 April 2016. Retrieved 25 March 2016.
- ^ Mullin, Moon (1985). New Jersey Legislative Manual. Fitzgerald's.
- ^ Nomination of Alan Sagner to be a member of the board of directors of the Corporation for Public Broadcasting: hearing before the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, United States Senate, One Hundred Third Congress, second session, May 10, 1994. United States. Congress. Senate. Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. 1994. Retrieved 25 March 2016.
- ^ Sullivan, Ronald (4 January 1974). "Byrne Names Ann Klein Chief of State Institutions; Byrne Names Ann Klein Chief of State Institutions A Low-Key Appointment". New York Times.
- ^ "SAGNER OUSTER SOUGHT BY LABOR; Transportation Chief Scored by A.F.L.-C.I.O. for Failure to Get U.S. Road Funds". New York Times. 13 March 1975.
- ^ Sullivan, Ronald (10 April 1975). "Sagner Acknowledges Official Offered $25,000 Campaign Gift to Get a Post". New York Times.
- ^ Blumenthal, Ralph (18 June 1977). "Sagner Named to Succeed Ronan As Chairman of Port Authority". New York Times.
- ^ Sullivan, Joseph F. (22 January 1974). "Senate Unit Bars Ann Klein Nomination By Governor Pending Full Finance Data". New York Times.
- ^ Sullivan, Joseph F. (26 April 1985). "BERGER LIKELY TO GET PORT AGENCY JOB". New York Times. Retrieved 25 March 2016.
- ^ Nomination of Alan Sagner to be a member of the Board of Directors of the Corporation for Public Broadcasting : hearing before the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, United States Senate, One Hundred Third Congress, second session, May 10, 1994. United States. Congress. Senate. Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. 1994. Retrieved 25 March 2016.
- ^ Clinton, William Jefferson (1994). Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: William J. Clinton, 1994.
- ^ Nomination of Alan Sagner to be a member of the Board of Directors of the Corporation for Public Broadcasting : hearing before the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, United States Senate, One Hundred Third Congress, second session, May 10, 1994. United States. Congress. Senate. Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. 1994. Retrieved 25 March 2016.
- ^ Nomination of Alan Sagner to be a member of the Board of Directors of the Corporation for Public Broadcasting : hearing before the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, United States Senate, One Hundred Third Congress, second session, May 10, 1994. United States. Congress. Senate. Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. 1994. Retrieved 25 March 2016.
- ^ "Ruth Ll Sagner". Ancestry.com. Retrieved 25 March 2016.
- ^ Oser, Alan S. "About Real Estate New Project by Sagner Reflects Weakness in Jersey Sales", The New York Times, November 28, 1980. Accessed March 28, 2016. "Mr. Sagner lives in South Orange and he is producing customized homes meant to appeal to many of his affluent neighbors -- those who have perhaps tired of caring for their finely landscaped private houses."
- ^ Nomination of Alan Sagner to be a member of the Board of Directors of the Corporation for Public Broadcasting : hearing before the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, United States Senate, One Hundred Third Congress, second session, May 10, 1994. United States. Congress. Senate. Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. 1994. Retrieved 25 March 2016.
- ^ "Lenore Schottenstein, Alan Sagner". New York Times. 1 December 1996. Retrieved 25 March 2016.
- ^ "Alan Sagner, Emeritus Trustee". The Century Foundation. Retrieved 25 March 2016.
- ^ "Alan Sagner, Who Revitalized the Port Authority, Dies at 97". The New York Times. 8 January 2018. Retrieved 8 January 2018.