Dr. Salmon has served as a coach, teacher, Mayor, County Freeholder, State Assemblyman and President of the NJ Board of Public Utilities. Recently he received a Doctor of Humane Letters from Thomas Edison State College for his lifetime of work as an “untiring civic activist, philanthropist and humanitarian.”
Dr. Salmon started his teaching career in 1964 after graduating from Gettysburg College with a B.A. in Health and Physical Education. He married his wife Marilyn one week before his graduation. They moved to Millville, NJ where they were both hired in the Millville Public Schools, Dr. Salmon teaching Physical Education and Marilyn teaching English. The couple taught over 7,000 students during their careers. Dr. Salmon served as head coach of the boys' basketball team and achieved an 86% win record. He was twice named New Jersey Basketball Coach of the Year and was inducted into the South Jersey Coaches Hall of Fame.
Not long after settling in Millville, Dr. Salmon was recruited by the Democratic Party to run for Millville City Commission. He won 87% of the vote in 1973 and was elected the city’s youngest Mayor. In 1977, Dr. Salmon moved on to the Cumberland County Board of Chosen Freeholders. In this role he served as Freeholder Director and began his career of environmental stewardship by ensuring that four local rivers were inducted into the National Wild Scenic River System.
In 1988, Dr. Salmon was the first Democrat in State history elected to the State Assembly’s First District. During this period, he earned his M.A. from Rowan University and his Ed. D. from the University of Delaware. He served in the Assembly for four years, and then lost a bid for State Senate. But this loss served as a turning point in his career. Governor Jim Florio appointed Dr. Salmon as President of the NJ Board of Public Utilities, a position he held until he retired from public service in 2003. During his time the Board, Dr. Salmon became heavily involved in the National Association of Regulatory Utility Commissioners, serving as the organization's First Vice President for one term. Upon leaving the public sector, Dr. Salmon first went to work for AUS consultants before branching off and forming Salmon Ventures Limited.
He continues to serve as Chairman of Salmon Ventures and works hard on a daily basis to expand the services the firm provides to its clients. He also serves as Chairman of the New Jersey Energy Coalition; Board President of the Next Generation Aviation Research & Technology Park, Inc.; President of NARUC Commissioners Emeritus (10th term); Chairman of the Steering Committee of the William J. Hughes Center for Public Policy at Richard Stockton College of New Jersey; Member of the Board of Trustees of the Ocean City Tabernacle; Executive Board Member of the South Jersey American Heart Association; and a member of the West Park United Methodist Church located in Hopewell Township, N.J. In the past he served on the Board of Trustees of Sun National Bank and President of the Southern New Jersey Boy Scout Council.
Dr. Salmon and his wife, Marilyn, have been married for 46 years. They have two children: Jim Salmon, married to Vivian Salmon; and Kristine Burnley, married to Scott Burnley. There are eleven grandchildren in the family.
