Best of NJ is thrilled to announce a partnership with the Caucus Educational Corp. (CEC), producers of fine programming such as One-on-One with Steve Adubato. Our commitment to highlighting the best New Jersey has to offer is bolstered by this partnership, through which we will bring the CEC’s brand of quality programming, covering health, local businesses, and more.
“BestofNJ.com is a great website with incredible potential. Clearly it has a huge following with people looking to find out about what to do and where to go, but the new ownership and management of the site especially excites me,” says Steve Adubato, PhD., President and Executive Producer of the Caucus Educational Corp. and host of One-on-One with Steve Adubato. “Being able to contribute valuable content and video to the site will only expand our audience and allow us to have a conversation with even more folks in the Garden State. That’s exciting.”
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Adds Best of NJ’s Barry Maurillo, “No one personifies the ‘Best of NJ’ more than Steve Adubato does. Whether it is in print, online, or on the air, he is entertaining, educational and often inspiring — and that is exactly the type of content we want on BestOfNJ.com.”
A Rutgers grad, Adubato first began serving the state of New Jersey as a the youngest state legislator in the mid-eighties. “Instead of going back into politics, I was offered the opportunity to enter broadcasting as an analyst at a commercial New York station and then decided to start a television series, which became Caucus: New Jersey in 1987,” he says. “The rest is history.”
History that’s packed with some potent interviews, like Adubato’s live sit-down with Governor Chris Christie last year — and his favorite interview of all-time, his 2002 one-on-one with late Governor Mario Cuomo.
Best of NJ spoke with Adubato about the challenges New Jersey residents face; as well as his spring 2016 book, Lessons in Leadership, and the partnership with Best of NJ.
What drives you to tell the stories of New Jersey’s residents?
New Jersey is a fascinating place with incredibly interesting people. I wouldn’t want to live anywhere else in this country. Whether it is at the Jersey Shore or in any community in our state, I find our people to be down-to-earth, gritty, sometimes edgy, but they always tell you what they think, and that makes for great television.
What are the greatest challenges NJ residents face?
Can you say taxes? It’s not cheap living here. I don’t need to tell anyone reading this right now that our property taxes are insane. They all know that. But the fact that New Jersey also is the most expensive place to die in the country is also insane; because we are the only place in the country that has both an estate and inheritance tax. Which is why many folks with a few bucks choose to spend their last few years in states like Florida; because it is cheaper to die there. Depressing, I know, but it is true. So other than the traffic on the Parkway when you’re trying to get down to the shore on a Saturday morning, I’d say the greatest challenge we face is our taxes.
What is your favorite place in NJ and why?
Lavallette. Our family has been vacationing down at the Jersey Shore since I was a kid; and we’ve been fortunate enough to build a house on the beach over the last few years. Lavallette is a small family town with a great boardwalk and a beautiful beach. The people are friendly and Seaside and Point Pleasant are just a few miles away. It is a terrific place not just in the summer but year round.
Why is late governor Mario Cuomo your favorite interview?
As a very young state legislator, in 1984, I was there in San Francisco at the Democratic National Convention when Mario Cuomo gave his historic speech that had many wanting him to run for president. As an Italian-American, I was especially proud. To be able to interview him for an hour on public television in 2002 was a powerful experience.
What can readers expect to learn in your upcoming book, Lessons in Leadership (due spring 2016)?
The first thing they will learn is about the mistakes I’ve made as a leader over the last couple decades. This book will offer practical tips and tools for any leader of any type of organization. It is not based on theory, but rather on real life situations and challenges that all leaders face. I’ve learned from my mistakes and hopefully have become a better leader in the process. I share my experiences as well as the stories of other leaders under fire. I’m confident those lessons will be powerful and meaningful to anyone who reads my book.
Check back at Best of NJ for upcoming Caucus Educational Corp. videos on healthy living, great destinations, arts & culture, local businesses, money & finance and more of what makes NJ unique!
Main (hero) image courtesy Caucus Educational Corp.
