George Norcross, the influential New Jersey political figure and chairman of insurance brokerage Conner Strong and Buckelew, has given 100 million dollars to Cooper University Health Care in Camden, the largest single philanthropic donation in the health system's history and one of the largest ever made to a hospital in the state.
The gift will help fund part of Cooper's 3 billion dollar expansion in Camden, and the Norcross family name is expected to be added to buildings or programs at the hospital, though specific designations have not yet been announced.
Norcross has a long personal connection to Cooper. He and his three brothers were all born there, and his family's ties to the hospital stretch back more than 50 years. He has served on Cooper's board since 1990 and is its longest serving chairman. The hospital is Camden's largest employer, with roughly 14,000 workers.
The donation honors Norcross's late parents, George E. Norcross Jr., a labor leader who also served on Cooper's board, and Anne Carol Conner Norcross, an advocate for seniors. Norcross said he wants his investment in the city to help restore Camden to what he called the mecca it was when his father was a boy, and said the effort was not about money for him personally, noting that he had already made his fortune.
The gift comes after a difficult stretch for Norcross, who faced a 2024 racketeering indictment tied to Camden tax incentive programs worth 1.1 billion dollars that benefited him and his associates. That case was dismissed in February 2025.