JUNIOR ACHIEVEMENT OF NEW JERSEY ELECTS TWO NEW STATE BOARD OFFICERS

Edison, NJ – July 15, 2026:  At its June 18 Annual Meeting, the Board of Directors of Junior Achievement of New Jersey (JANJ) elected two new officers: Caroline Armour, Treasurer at Verizon, as Chair, and Calvin Ledford Jr., President of the PSEG Foundation and Director of Corporate Social Responsibility, as Vice Chair.

These leadership elections reflect Junior Achievement of New Jersey's continued commitment to engaging New Jersey's top business leaders in its mission to accelerate economic mobility through education. Both Armour and Ledford bring extensive professional experience and a deep commitment to investing in the next generation of New Jersey's workforce.

“We are thrilled to elevate Caroline and Calvin into these leadership roles at such an exciting time for Junior Achievement of New Jersey. Both bring incredible depth of experience and an immense passion for the JA mission. We are excited to hit the ground running and impact the lives of young people across New Jersey,” said James Horne, Jr., President & CEO, Junior Achievement of New Jersey.

Together, Armour and Ledford's board leadership underscores the shared commitment of Verizon and PSEG to the communities they serve and to ensuring New Jersey's young people have access to the career-connected learning experiences they need to thrive in an opportunity-filled future.

Armour and Ledford join a distinguished group of state board officers, including State Board Treasurer Patrick Migliaccio, SVP & COO of New Jersey Natural Gas; State Board Secretary Thomas L. Earp, Esq., Attorney at Law at Earp Cohn P.C.; Assistant Secretary Margaret (Meg) Ferrero, formerly VP & Assistant General Counsel at ADP; Audit Chair Brent Ashton, Global Client Service at EY; Nominating Committee Chair Michele N. Siekerka, Esq., President & CEO of the NJ Business & Industry Association; and Finance Committee Member Dalton Smart, CPA, MBA, SVP Finance & Global Controller at Merck & Co., Inc.

JANJ also elected two new State Board members, highlighted by Matt Redente, Managing Partner, Private Equity at Crowe, and Blegina Dimashi, Regional Banking Executive, Southern New Jersey at Wells Fargo.

About Caroline Armour:

Caroline Armour serves as Treasurer of Verizon, where she provides strategic and financial leadership across the organization. Since beginning her career with Bell Atlantic in 1998, Armour has held executive leadership roles spanning Internal Audit, Accounting, Revenue Assurance, and Finance, contributing to major corporate initiatives, including SEC reporting for the Alltel acquisition and the establishment of an Accounting Center of Excellence.

About Calvin Ledford Jr.:

Calvin R. Ledford Jr. is President of the PSEG Foundation and Director of Corporate Social Responsibility at PSEG, where he leads the company's philanthropic strategy, overseeing corporate giving, volunteerism, Foundation programs, and community investments. With more than 30 years at PSEG, Ledford has held leadership roles spanning corporate social responsibility, external affairs, public affairs, customer operations, and strategic business initiatives. Throughout his career, he has built strong partnerships with communities, nonprofit organizations, and public leaders across New Jersey while advancing initiatives that strengthen communities and create lasting impact.

About JA of New Jersey (JANJ):

JA of New Jersey (JANJ) is education for what’s next. As a strategic partner collaborating with educators, employers, investors, leaders, and communities in NJ, JANJ is dedicated to helping students achieve academically today and economically tomorrow. By delivering career-connected learning, JANJ is invested in accelerating economic mobility through education. With its headquarters and Capstone programs located in the JA Education Center in Raritan Center, Edison, NJ, JANJ is committed to giving all young people the knowledge and skills they need to own their economic success and plan for their futures. JANJ’s learning experiences are held at the JA Education Center, in schools, on college/university campuses, in corporate facilities, and online through digital learning experiences.  For more information, visit janj.org and follow JANJ on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, and YouTube.