Stephen Santola
By Joshua Burd
A third consecutive governor in New Jersey is set to take office with the help of Stephen Santola, the veteran and highly respected development executive, as a member of its transition team.
Santola, executive vice president and general counsel with Woodmont Properties, is currently serving on Gov.-elect Mikie Sherrill’s transition interdisciplinary advisory task force. According to the firm, the committee is providing insight and feedback to both the transition team and staff as they define and refine the administration’s policy agenda.
The former three-time Livingston mayor also served on outgoing Gov. Phil Murphy’s housing advisory committee and former Gov. Chris Christie’s environmental protection committee as both were preparing to take office in 2017 and 2009, respectively.
“It is a privilege to join Governor-elect Sherrill’s transition team and contribute to a forward-looking agenda for New Jersey,” Santola said. “Having worked alongside prior administrations, I’ve seen how thoughtful coordination between the public and private sectors can drive meaningful progress. I look forward to lending an on-the-ground perspective from the development world to help shape solutions that strengthen communities and spur investment across the state.”
Based in Fairfield, Woodmont noted that Santola oversees its legal strategy, approvals and entitlements and helps steer the firm’s development platform, where he plays an active role in evaluating new opportunities and shaping long-term corporate direction. He is also a current member of the New Jersey State Planning Commission, which recently adopted an updated New Jersey State Development and Redevelopment Plan.
Santola, who also spent 12 years on Livingston’s township council, is a graduate of Colgate University and holds his juris doctor degree from Seton Hall University School of Law.
