James P. Fox named Governor's Chief of Staff

“Jamie Fox has built an impeccable record as one of the most effective and highly-regarded leaders in state government,” McGreevey said. “His leadership, organizational and management skills will be an asset to the Governor’s Office and the State of New Jersey.

“As DOT Commissioner, he established a new level of coordination and synergy among the State’s transportation agencies, and he aggressively addressed the problems we inherited with EZPass, the Parsons contract and the DMV,” he said.

Fox will succeed Gary B. Taffet, who announced he was leaving the Chief of Staff’s position earlier this week.

“As a professional and as friend, Gary Taffet’s advice and insight has been and will continue to be invaluable,” said McGreevey.

Fox has served as Transportation Commissioner since February. As Commissioner, he oversaw 5,000 employees and a more than $3 billion departmental budget. His duties included serving as Chairman of the Board of Directors of the New Jersey Transit Corporation and the New Jersey Transportation Trust Fund Authority. He also served on a number of boards, including the New Jersey Turnpike Authority and the New Jersey Highway Authority.

Fox has a long and distinguished career in state and federal government. A former Chief of Staff to U.S. Senator Robert Torricelli, he was Deputy Chief of Staff to former Governor Jim Florio from 1990 to 1994. From 1987 to 1990, he was Director of Intergovernmental Affairs for the NJ State Senate. In 1990, he served as State Director for U.S. Senator Frank Lautenberg.

Prior to becoming DOT Commissioner, he was a partner at Winning Strategies, a Washington, D.C. government relations and lobbying firm. Prior to that position, he served as Executive Director of the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee (DSCC).

Fox graduated with a B.A. in Political Science from Villanova University. In 1991 he attended the State and Local Government program at the John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University. He grew up in Union and now resides in Lambertville.