John E. Harmon, Sr., IOM, Founder, President, and CEO of the African American Chamber of Commerce of New Jersey (AACCNJ) is the vanguard for New Jersey’s 1.2 million Black residents and the over 88,000 Black businesses on issues relating to their socioeconomic standing in New Jersey. Due to his consultation with the U.S. Chamber of Commerce (USCC) on the value of advancing a national strategy emphasizing the value proposition of Supplier and Career Diversity, the USCC launched the Equality of Opportunity Initiative. This initiative develops real, sustainable solutions to close gaps in race-based opportunities in education, employment, entrepreneurship, and criminal justice.
A state disparity study reporting disappointing results for Blacks led John to meet with the Governor and New Jersey state department representatives. He led the formation of an AACCNJ Disparity Study Task Force, comprised of AACCNJ chamber members, which drafted an executive order for Governor Murphy and consulted with Assemblyman Benjie E. Wimberly (D) Speaker Pro Tempore - District 35 on 15 pieces of legislation to reset New Jersey procurement policy. John directly addresses false perceptions of Black businesses and people, and fosters relations with government agencies, corporations, and financial institutions.