Partners in Progress honors the visionaries, innovators, and leaders who have contributed to the growth and development of Newark Beth Israel Medical Center, to the health and well-being of the communities the hospital serves, and to the continued renaissance of Newark.
L to R Darrell K. Terry Sr., President and CEO, Newark Beth Israel Medical Center and Children’s Hospital of New Jersey (NBI); Francis J. Giantomasi, Esq., Member, Chiesa Shahinian & Giantomasi PC, NBI Board Chair, and Partners in Progress Event Chair; Marc Cohen, MD, FACC, Chair of Medicine, NBI, recipient of the Dr. Victor Parsonnet Award for Clinical Excellence; Nicole Fields, CEO, Saint James Health (Partners in Progress Marc E. Berson Community Awardee); Gary Cross, President and CEO, Maher Terminals (Partners in Progress Corporate Awardee); Adrian Council, Sr., CEO and publisher of The Positive Community Media (Partners in Progress Marc E. Berson Community Awardee); Kerri B. Levine, Principal, Fidelco Group, NBI Board Member and Partners in Progress Event Chair; and Mark E. Manigan, President and CEO, RWJBarnabas Health.
NEWARK, NJ (October 1, 2026) — Newark Beth Israel Medical Center and Children’s Hospital of New Jersey, an RWJBarnabas Health facility, hosted its annual Partners in Progress awards dinner at the New Jersey Performing Arts Center on September 30, 2026. This year’s theme wasNewark Stronger Than Ever, and all proceeds from the dinner will benefit the hospital’s outpatient programs.
Partners in Progress honors the visionaries, innovators, and leaders who have contributed to the growth and development of Newark Beth Israel Medical Center, to the health and well-being of the communities the hospital serves, and to the continued renaissance of Newark.
Newark Beth Israel Board Chair Francis J. Giantomasi Esq., member of CSG Law and Kerri B. Levine, principal of The Fidelco Group, co-chaired the evening. This year’s honorees included:
Maher Terminals received Partners in Progress Corporate Award for its long-standing corporate leadership, economic impact, and support of community growth and health initiatives in the city of Newark, accepted by President and CEO, Gary Cross.
Darrell K. Terry Sr., President and CEO, Newark Beth Israel Medical Center and Children’s Hospital of New Jersey (NBI); Gary Cross, President and CEO, Maher Terminals (accepting the Corporate Award); Kerri B. Levine, Principal, Fidelco Group, NBI Board Member and Partners in Progress Event Chair; and Francis J. Giantomasi, Esq., Member, Chiesa Shahinian & Giantomasi PC, NBI Board Chair, and Partners in Progress Event Chair.
Presented annually, the Marc E. Berson Community Award recognizes community visionaries who have dedicated themselves to driving the growth, innovation, and long-term vitality of Newark. Saint James Health was celebrated alongside co-honoree The Positive Community Media, vital partners in building a healthier, more resilient city.
Saint James Health received the award for its exceptional contributions to local healthcare expansion, community wellness, and grassroots impact across the city, accepted by its CEO, Nicole Fields.
The Positive Community Media received the award for its outstanding dedication to community outreach, advocacy, and positive media representation, accepted by its CEO and publisher Adrian Council, Sr.
Darrell K. Terry Sr., President and CEO, Newark Beth Israel Medical Center and Children’s Hospital of New Jersey (NBI); Nicole Fields, CEO, Saint James Health (accepting the Marc E. Berson Community Award); Kerri B. Levine, Principal, Fidelco Group, NBI Board Member and Partners in Progress Event Chair; and Francis J. Giantomasi, Esq., Member, Chiesa Shahinian & Giantomasi PC, NBI Board Chair, and Partners in Progress Event Chair.
Darrell K. Terry Sr., President and CEO, Newark Beth Israel Medical Center and Children’s Hospital of New Jersey (NBI); CEO and publisher Adrian Council, Sr., The Positive Community Media (accepting the Marc E. Berson Community Award); Kerri B. Levine, Principal, Fidelco Group, NBI Board Member and Partners in Progress Event Chair; and Francis J. Giantomasi, Esq., Member, Chiesa Shahinian & Giantomasi PC, NBI Board Chair, and Partners in Progress Event Chair.
Marc Cohen, MD, FACC, Chair of the Department of Medicine at Newark Beth Israel Medical Center, received the Dr. Victor Parsonnet Award for Clinical Excellence for his extraordinary contributions to cardiovascular medicine, decades of compassionate leadership, and unwavering commitment to excellence in patient care, medical education, and physician mentorship.
Newark Beth Israel Medical Center and Children’s Hospital of New Jersey (NBI) Chair of Medicine Marc Cohen, MD, FACC, recipient of the Dr. Victor Parsonnet Award for Clinical Excellence, with (L–R) Darrell K. Terry Sr., President and CEO, Newark Beth Israel Medical Center and Children’s Hospital of New Jersey; Kerri B. Levine, Principal, Fidelco Group, NBI Board Member and Partners in Progress Event Chair; and Francis J. Giantomasi, Esq., Member, Chiesa Shahinian & Giantomasi PC, NBI Board Chair, and Partners in Progress Event Chair.
The night included an intimate cabaret-style celebration featuring live jazz performances by Bobby Wise—a former NBI employee, a grateful cardiac patient, and a phenomenal saxophonist—and his band Touch. The evening concluded with an afterparty with Newark’s own DJ MD.