Virginia Bauer

Virginia Samaras Bauer (born 1956) is an advocate for families of the victims of the September 11, 2001 attacks and a government leader in New Jersey. She currently is a Commissioner of the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey. She is a former New Jersey Secretary of Commerce, Economic Growth and Tourism.[1]

Her first husband, W. David Bauer, was a bond trader for Cantor Fitzgerald and was killed in the collapse of the World Trade Center on September 11, 2001. Bauer, a mother of three,[2] became an advocate for 9/11 families, working to secure tax relief and other benefits from the federal government. Her advocacy work brought her into contact with New Jersey political leaders. A graduate of Rosemont College in Rosemont, Pennsylvania, Bauer is the daughter of Peter J. and Virginia K. Samaras. Bauer remarried in October 2007; her husband is Donald A. Steckroth (b. 1947), a widower and a judge in the United States Bankruptcy Court.[3]

A former analyst for Merrill Lynch,[4] Bauer was appointed New Jersey Lottery Director in 2003 by former Gov. James McGreevey.[5][6] In the summer of 2004, McGreevey appointed her as Chief Executive Officer and Secretary of the New Jersey Commerce, Economic Growth and Tourism Commission, a position she retained in the cabinet of former Gov. Richard Codey.[7][8] On January 16, 2006, Governor of New Jersey Jon Corzine announced his intention to retain Bauer in his cabinet.[9] In March 2007, Corzine announced his nomination of Bauer to serve as a Commissioner of the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, a part-time position running the bi-state transportation agency, which owns the World Trade Center site. She is the first 9/11 widow from New Jersey to be appointed to the Port Authority Board.

After being appointed to the Port Authority Board,[10] Bauer announced that she was stepping down as Commerce Secretary as part of a planned restructuring of state economic development agencies by Corzine. After leaving Commerce, it was announced that she was becoming head of government relations for a major real estate developer in New Jersey. There has been speculation in the media that Corzine was considering Bauer as a running mate for Lieutenant Governor in the 2009 election. However, earlier in the year she moved into a new position with Covenant House as Senior Vice President, Development.[11]

References

  1. ↑ http://www.nj.com/news/index.ssf/2009/01/virginia_bauer_911_widow_and_f.html
  2. ↑ http://www.nj.com/newark/index.ssf/2009/02/two_former_nj_commissioners_to.html
  3. ↑ http://www.nytimes.com/2007/10/07/fashion/weddings/07bauer.html
  4. ↑ http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1A2-8a79a999-8064-4239-a819-db19e85c205f.html
  5. ↑ http://nl.newsbank.com/nl-search/we/Archives?p_product=PI&s_site=philly&p_multi=PI&p_theme=realcities&p_action=search&p_maxdocs=200&p_topdoc=1&p_text_direct-0=0FAECA7502EFEFEC&p_field_direct-0=document_id&p_perpage=10&p_sort=YMD_date:D&s_trackval=GooglePM
  6. ↑ http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/nypost/access/402108341.html?dids=402108341:402108341&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:FT&type=current&date=Sep+08%2C+2003&author=Andrea+Peyser&pub=New+York+Post&desc=MOTHER+COURAGE%3B+WTC+WIDOW+OVERCOMES+AGONY+TO+TAKE+OVER+N.J.+LOTTERY&pqatl=google
  7. ↑ http://www.nydailynews.com/archives/news/2005/09/07/2005-09-07_ground_zero_museum_adds_9-11.html
  8. ↑ http://www.nytimes.com/2004/07/17/nyregion/mcgreevey-picks-commerce-chief.html
  9. ↑ http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9907E3DF123FF931A15752C0A9609C8B63
  10. ↑ http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P1-149437508.html
  11. ↑ http://www.nj.com/newark/index.ssf/2009/02/two_former_nj_commissioners_to.html

External links

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