Rider University to induct first members into new College of Business Administration Hall of Fame

Rider University’s College of Business Administration will induct the first members into its Hall of Fame at an inaugural induction ceremony on May 3 at The Marigold in Somerset, N.J. The honorees were selected on the basis of their contributions toward shaping their profession and community and hail from top companies locally, nationally and globally, including American Express and Wells Fargo.

"The first class of inductees represent the very best of the College of Business and the University as a whole, and their success attests to the character Rider aims to cultivate in every student," said Dr. Cynthia Newman, dean of the College of Business Administration.

James P. Bush ’80 is the president of Global Network and International Consumer Services (GNICS) at American Express, which includes the consumer business outside the U.S. and all global bank partnerships in 130 countries and territories. Under his leadership, GNICS has become one of the fastest growing divisions of American Express, a company he joined in 1986. Bush is a sought-after expert on customer service and engagement; under his leadership, American Express earned eight consecutive J.D. Power & Associates awards for highest customer satisfaction among U.S. card companies. He has also been featured in several notable books on customer experience strategies. Bush earned a Bachelor of Science in accounting from Rider, where he graduated cum laude. In addition to being an active alumnus, he is a senior advisor to Table to Table, a community-based food rescue program in northern New Jersey.

Howard Cohen ’71 has more than 40 years of experience in the fields of public accounting and consulting. He is currently an executive advisor to Wells Fargo's New Jersey Middle Market Banking Group and was previously the chairman of EisnerAmper LLP and the managing partner and CEO of Amper, Politziner & Mattia, LLP. He earned a Bachelor of Science in accounting from Rider and a master’s in taxation from Pace University. In addition to serving on many boards and committees, Cohen is actively involved with Rider. He is the immediate past chairman of the University’s Accounting Advisory Council and a member of the Executive Advisory Council for the College of Business Administration. Previously, Rider has honored him with the Distinguished Alumnus Award and inducted him into Beta Alpha Psi, a national honors fraternity for financial information professionals.

Patricia A. Hartpence ’78, ’86 is a corporate giving officer at NJM Insurance Group, where she has worked since she began her career upon graduating from Rider College in 1978 with a Bachelor of Science in commerce. She is responsible for the oversight of NJM’s corporate giving, matching program, volunteer program and community outreach. Active in her community, Hartpence has served on the boards of several organizations, including HomeFront and Kidsbridge. She returned to Rider to earn a Master of Business Administration in 1986 and continues to be involved with the University in several capacities, including as a member of the Rider Women’s Leadership Council.

Vincent J. Milano ’85 is the chief executive officer of Idera and the former chairman, president and chief executive officer of ViroPharma, which was acquired by Shire Pharmaceuticals in January 2014. Under his stewardship, ViroPharma became a leading developer of innovative therapies for rare diseases, with the approval and commercialization of its lead product, Cinryze, for the treatment of hereditary angioedema in the United States and Europe. Milano received a Bachelor of Science in accounting from Rider. He currently serves on the Boards of Directors of Spark Therapeutics, Vanda Pharmaceuticals, VenatoRx and Life Sciences Pennsylvania.

In addition to receiving awards at the ceremony, honorees will also be recognized through a permanent display in Anne Brossman Sweigart Hall on Rider’s Lawrenceville campus.

Sponsorships for the induction ceremony are still available, with proceeds for both table sponsors, as well as individual ticket purchases, supporting the College of Business Administration Engaged Student and Faculty Fund and the accounting program. For more information, please visit www.rider.edu/cbahof.