Parsonnet one of ‘Jersey-est’ to receive HOF nomination
The New Jersey Hall of Fame has nominated NJSO Board Chairman Emeritus Victor Parsonnet for entrance in its Class of 2015; the public can vote to decide the Hall of Fame’s inductees until June 7.
The Star-Ledger calls Parsonnet one of the “Jersey-est” nominees, beating out Derek Jeter and 46 other nominees for the fourth spot on the list:
Newark native Victor Parsonnet made his name as a groundbreaking cardiac surgeon at Newark Beth Israel Hospital (founded by his grandfathers), but his other love is music. The Whitehouse Station resident served as the chairman of the New Jersey Symphony Orchestra for 17 years, and was an early supporter of NJPAC.
An internationally acclaimed heart surgeon, Parsonnet performed the state’s first heart transplant and pacemaker implant. A passionate advocate for the arts and for New Jersey, he has dedicated 28 years of service to the NJSO and has devoted himself to improving the state’s arts, healthcare and social-outreach efforts.
Parsonnet is one of 10 New Jersey Hall of Fame nominees in the Enterprise category, which encompasses scientists, business leaders, inventors, entrepreneurs and philanthropists. In its 2014 nomination of Parsonnet, the Hall of Fame wrote: “A cardiac surgeon, [Parsonnet] contributed significantly to the fields of cardiology and pacemaker technology. He also performed the first coronary bypass surgery in New Jersey and co-founded two major heart associations. He is also well regarded as a champion for the New Jersey Symphony, which he led for many years.”
The NJSO honored Parsonnet at this season’s Opening Night Celebration in October at NJPAC in Newark. In 2008, the NJSO established the New Jersey Symphony Orchestra—Victor Parsonnet, M.D., Leadership Award, a legacy award that recognized Parsonnet’s outstanding commitment to the quality and enrichment of life through an active role in the arts.
“Victor Parsonnet’s legacy is truly extraordinary,” NJSO Board Co-Chairs Ruth C. Lipper and Stephen Sichak Jr. say. “As a gifted surgeon, he has pioneered the development of procedures and technologies that have saved and enhanced countless lives. As a devoted arts patron, he has been an inspirational leader not only for the NJSO, which he has served for nearly 30 years, but also for the arts and culture of the entire state. Victor’s nomination to the New Jersey Hall of Fame is a richly deserved honor, and we are proud to cast our votes for him.”
This year’s Hall of Fame nominees include other important figures with ties to the NJSO—longtime arts patron William H. Scheide and composer George Walker, whose work the Orchestra performed through its New Jersey Roots Project, are both nominees in the Arts & Letters category.
Online voting for the Hall of Fame’s Class of 2015 is open through midnight on June 7—cast your vote for Parsonnet and other Garden State luminaries here, and share your vote on social media using the hashtag #njhalloffame!