George Helmy, the most powerful non-elected official in New Jersey politics while serving as chief of staff to Gov. Phil Murphy since 2019, is moving to a hugely influential private sector post at RWJBarnabas Health.
Helmy, 43, will serve as executive vice president and chief external affairs and policy officer, RWJBarnabas Health president and CEO Mark E. Manigan said today.
“I can think of no more respected policy leader in our region than George Helmy, and we are incredibly pleased to have him join our team,” said Manigan. “His depth of knowledge on a wide variety of issues facing our state is unparalleled, and we recognize that his contributions to advancing our mission of service to our patients and community will be significant.”
The 2015 merger between Saint Barnabas and Robert Wood Johnson created the state’s largest integrated healthcare delivery system, with research hospitals, acute care facilities, and academic centers with nearly 40,000 employees and over 1,000 physicians.
Helmy joins RWJBarnabas Health during a turbulent time when nurses at Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital in New Brunswick have been on strike since August 4 with no end in sight.
Helmy announced last week that he was leaving the Murphy administration at the end of the month. He is the longest-serving gubernatorial chief of staff in New Jersey history, a tenure that will end today.
Murphy said that Helmy will continue to serve as his top political advisor.
He will also remain as a commissioner of the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, a position Murphy named him earlier this year. The New Jersey State Senate confirmed his nomination unanimously.
During his tenure as chief of staff, Helmy essentially served as chief operating officer of a state with a $54.3 billion budget and over 70,000 employees, developing strong relationships with lawmakers of both parties. Democrats and Republicans widely praised him following his departure announcement.
“You cannot write the history of this administration without recognizing George’s deep commitment and leadership over the past four and half years,” said Murphy. “George undoubtedly made New Jersey a better place for its nine million residents.”
Murphy said Helmy “built a unique mix of public and private sector experience, strong management skills, and significant relationships across the state that will allow him to succeed in any role.”
“I wish George well in his next chapter and am confident he will bring the same passion, drive, and tenacity that he delivered to my administration to his new position,” he said.
As chief of staff, Helmy helped shepherd New Jersey through the coronavirus pandemic, dealing extensively with hospitals and healthcare providers.
Lt. Governor Tahesha Way called Helmy a “thoughtful, strategic, and kind-hearted, but also tenacious in advocating for those who too often have been left out and left behind.”
“His leadership improved the lives of millions of New Jerseyans.,” she said.
Helmy’s move returns him to the private sector, where he worked for two Fortune 100 companies before entering public service, first as an aide to U.S. Senator Frank Lautenberg and then as deputy chief of staff and state director for U.S. Senator Cory Booker.
Helmy grew up in Jersey City, attended Rutgers University, and earned a master’s degree from Harvard University.
Manigan also announced that Marcie Ordowich will serve as RWJBarnabas’ chief operating officer. A seventeen-year veteran of running health systems, Ordowich most recently served as vice president of service line operations at Penn Medicine, University of Pennsylvania Health System.