Dr. Salmon has served as a coach, teacher, school administrator, Mayor, County Freeholder, State Assemblyman, and President of the NJ Board of Public Utilities. Recently he received a Doctor of Humane Letters from Thomas Edison State College for his lifetime of work as an “untiring civic activist, philanthropist, and humanitarian.”
Dr. Salmon started his teaching career in 1964 after graduating from Gettysburg College with a B.A. in Health and Physical Education. He married his wife Marilyn one week before his graduation. They moved to Millville, NJ where they were both hired in the Millville Public Schools, Dr. Salmon teaching Physical Education and Marilyn teaching English. The couple taught over 7,000 students during their careers. Dr. Salmon served as head coach of the boys’ basketball team and achieved an 84% win record. He was twice named New Jersey Basketball Coach of the Year and was inducted into the South Jersey Coaches Hall of Fame.
Not long after settling in Millville, Dr. Salmon was recruited by the Democratic Party to run for Millville City Commission. He won 87% of the vote in 1973 and was elected the city’s youngest Mayor. In 1977, Dr. Salmon moved on to the Cumberland County Board of Chosen Freeholders. In this role, he served as Freeholder Director and began his career of environmental stewardship by ensuring that four local rivers were inducted into the National Wild Scenic River System.
In 1988, Dr. Salmon served as the New Jersey Legislator for four years before Governor Jim Florio appointed him to the governor’s Cabinet as President of the NJ Board of Public Utilities. During his time on the Board, Dr. Salmon became heavily involved in the National Association of Regulatory Utility Commissioners (NARUC), serving as an officer in the organization. Dr. Salmon served two years as NARUC’s Vice President, Chair of NARUC’s Executive Committee, Founder of NARUC’s Washington Action Committee, and a member of the Communications Committee. In addition, he was President of the Great Lakes Conference (16 states) and on the Board of Directors for the National Society of Rate of Return Analysts and the National Regulatory Research Institute. Presently, Dr. Salmon serves as President of NARUC’s Commissioners Emeritus. Upon leaving the public sector, Dr. Salmon first went to work for AUS consultants before branching off to establish Salmon Ventures Limited in March 2003.
After 20 years, on January 1, 2024, Dr. Salmon retired from Salmon Ventures and currently serves as Chairman Emeritus. In addition, he serves as Chairman Emeritus of the New Jersey Energy Coalition; immediate past President of the National Aviation Research & Technology Park, Inc.; immediate past President of NARUC Commissioners Emeritus (16th term); and immediate past Chair of the Steering Committee, and founder of the William J. Hughes Center for Public Policy at Stockton University. In the past, he served on the Board of Trustees of Sun National Bank; President of the Southern New Jersey
Boy Scout Council; 22 States Board of Directors for American Water; Board of Trustees of the Ocean City Tabernacle; and Executive Board Member of the South Jersey American Heart Association. Dr. Salmon is currently a member of the West Park United Methodist Church.
Dr. Salmon and his wife, Marilyn, have been married for 60 years. They have two children: Jim Salmon, married to Vivian, and Kristine, married to Scott Burnley.
