- [Narrator] Funding for this edition of One-On-One with Steve Adubato has been provided by PSEG Foundation.

Holy Name.

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Newark Board of Education.

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- This is One-On-One.

- I'm an equal American just like you are.

- The way we change Presidents in this country is by voting.

- A quartet is already a jawn, it’s just The New Jawn.

- January 6th was not some sort of violent, crazy outlier.

- I don't care how good you are or how good you think you are, there is always something to learn.

- I mean what other country sends comedians over to embedded military to make them feel better.

- People call me 'cause they feel nobody's paying attention.

_ It’s not all about memorizing and getting information, it’s what you do with that information.

- (slowly) Start talking right now.

- That's a good question, high five.

(upbeat music) - Hi, everyone.

Steve Adubato.

This is "Remember Them."

That is Jacqui Tricarico.

Jacqui, let's kick off this "Remember Them", remembering our great friend, Ray Bramucci, the former Chairman of the Board of the Caucus Educational Corporation, our not-for-profit production company served in the Clinton administration as Under Secretary of Labor.

Governor Florio, was the head of labor, one of the cabinet members, the head of labor in the state, and someone who made a difference, particularly in the labor movement.

I talked to Pete Taft, who was a mentee as I was of Ray.

What did you take from that interview with Pete about Ray?

- And, Steve, like you mentioned so many things, so many accomplishments that Ray had over his lifetime, over his career, but something so important to note is that he didn't have a college education.

He was a high school dropout and joined the Air Force at a young age, but then went on to do so many wonderful things within our community here in New Jersey and so many wonderful things with you, Steve, a friend of the CEC, of the Caucus Educational Corporation, but a friend of yours as well, right?

- Yeah, and the other thing that Ray introduced us to US Senator Bill Bradley.

Ray was governor, excuse me, not Governor Bradley, Senator Bradley's top aide as chief of staff as state director in New Jersey.

When we had to interview, I remember a great interview in 1990, Bill Bradley running against Christie Whitman.

She was running against him for US Senator.

It was Ray who helped make that interview happen with Senator Bradley, that debate.

Ray was an amazing guy.

We lost him way too soon.

- Ray was extraordinary.

And not enough people know who Ray was, why Ray's legacy still matters.

Also, there's a clip here after you see Pete, and I'm not sure when you're gonna see this, but a quick interview I did with Ray.

Ray is always talking about democracy and the risk we're running.

That was back then 20 plus years ago.

This is Pete Taft talking about the great Ray Bramucci.

- (Steve) Issues matter to you?

- Well, the quality of life in our democracy matter to me.

And I think that we've come to a point where we no longer have acne or skin irritations.

We have full blown cancer.

We need radical surgery to fix this because politics has fallen into such ill repute that it's a joke to even try to talk about it in the complexity of issues, because people have sullied it and kicked it around and abused the process.

- We're now joined by our longtime friend and a trustee of the Caucus Educational Corporation.

Pete Taft, CEO and founder of Taft Communications.

Hey, Pete, we're remembering our great friend who introduced me to you.

Our relationship is largely based on him.

- Yep.

- The great, late, extraordinary Ray B., Ray Bramucci.

Talk about Ray.

People just saw a clip from Ray, an interview that we did.

We did 20 interviews 'cause he would call up and say, "Hey, there's an issue we need to talk about," and Ray would come on as the chairman.

He was the chairman of our board.

What made Ray so special?

- Well, the fact that he introduced us is one thing that made him special.

He was a networker, but not in the sense of, oh, you know, I want to be here 'cause I want to be important.

He just loved people.

He loved connecting the right people, and by the way, whether you were Republican or Democrat, he would work it out.

He was the most bipartisan of political leaders that I've ever met.

So it was linking people together.

I think it was listening as well.

He was a terrific listener.

Great storyteller, as your viewers saw in the interview, but also a good listener, and my last verb that comes to mind is, he always kept learning.

I know as a young man, he read "The New Republic," never went to college.

He would come in with stories of books he was reading about history or novels or...

He was a consummate liberal humanist, not liberal in the sense of politics, but although he was, he loved life, he loved learning, he loved people.

That's Ray.

- You know, I often think, and this isn't political, and Pete, we've been in enough conversations with Pete and as a trustee of our not-for-profit corporation, he knows our approach.

While we look at politics, we look at politics in terms of policy and its impact on people, not partisan horse race crap, which is pretty boring when you think about it.

- Yep.

- How the heck would Ray, who was the consummate, not just a great human being, but he could get things done.

Ray brought people together, Ray collaborated, Ray compromised.

How the heck would Ray have done in this environment, Pete Taft?

- Oh gosh, what a, that question, that's a huge question.

He would've been frustrated, but my guess is that he wouldn't have revealed that frustration.

He probably would've put his big boy pants on.

You know, he said, "I got a job to do here, buckle down and do it."

I think it would grind at him though, but my guess is he would persevere like Tevye in "Fiddler on the Roof."

He would just keep going.

(Steve chuckling) - So, let me ask you this.

So Ray, as you said, did not have formal education after high school.

- Right.

- But well read, curious, was a huge part of U.S.

Senator Bill Bradley's success as his key staff person.

As the secretary of the head of labor in the state of New Jersey, the undersecretary of labor in the Clinton administration in the federal government, Ray's connection to organized labor, starting with his connection to the International Women's Garment Workers Union.

Talk about the labor connection.

- It was deep.

He was a labor man through and through.

As you said, International Ladies' Garment Workers Union.

He was a senior player there, always stayed in touch with labor when he was labor commissioner, but here's what's interesting about Ray, and I don't think this developed when he got tapped by Governor Florio or Senator Bradley.

He once, I heard him say more, more times than I can imagine, to crowds, if you are working hard and not being treated fairly, I'm on your side.

If you're being treated fairly and you're not working your hard, don't look to me for support.

He, that's was kind of his attitude.

So he brought that labor, working person's feel to the fore, to everyone, you know, work hard, work hard.

That was his ethic.

- Let me ask you this.

He was a mentor to you?

- Yes, he was.

- He was a mentor to me.

- Yep.

- He was a mentor to so many others, and you and I, and we know Ray's family well.

Sue, his wife, such a special person, such a strong connection with her for so many years.

Why do you think it was so important for Ray Bramucci to mentor and help others younger than he was develop?

- Back to my earlier point, he just loved people.

So I think that came naturally to him.

I remember his eyes sparkling when he would see a young person of promise, and by the way, his eyes going narrow when he would see someone who was in for themselves or crass political purposes, but when he met someone generally younger who had potential, he was, he loved them.

I mean, Ray hugged, Ray kissed on the cheek.

Ray was the consummate Italian and he just, he saw a spark and he wanted to increase it.

I went to Ray when I'd never been in a large organization or in political life.

It was my first effort, and I was brought in by a mutual friend, Ray and I had a chat, and to your point, he said to me, "What do you want if you come work for me?"

And I said three things.

One, your door is always open to me.

Two, you don't second guess what I do, and three, that I can tell you the truth and you won't be upset, and he went, deal, and you know what, Steve?

He was true to all three, true to all three, and as a young guy, who is a comms guy, that was just huge.

- For me, I wanna be clear, as the chairman of the board of the not-for-profit corporation, the Caucus Educational Corporation that I've been honored to lead for, this is our 30th anniversary, Ray, as the chairman of the board, never ever told me what he thought I wanted to hear.

He pushed me, he challenged me.

He told me when I was acting in ways or doing things that were selfish and self-motivated and not for the good of our team and for what we were doing on the air, and there were times I was pissed at him.

- Yep.

- And not only didn't he care, that was his point.

He wanted to challenge you to be better as opposed to trying to make you feel better.

- Yeah.

- He was always there in tough times, personal and et cetera, et cetera, but it's a long winded way of saying to you, a great friend is someone who cares enough to tell you what they truly believe, even if they know you're not gonna like it.

- And he had a way of packaging it, I shouldn't say package.

He had a way of stating the truth to you that was filled with compassion.

It wasn't, you know, Steve, you're being a jerk.

You should do this.

No, he would go, you know, I see you're doing this and I kind of see your point, but I'm wondering if you might.

You know, he was just a great.

- Yeah.

- He could get to your heart and your head at the same time.

- Before I let you go, Pete, we literally just did an interview feature on George Washington.

We remember anyone connected to New Jersey, so Washington's connection to New Jersey, the Delaware, Battle of Trenton.

We just find any angle, as Pete knows, but there's George Washington and then there's Ray Bramucci.

Everybody knows Washington.

Few were fortunate enough... - Right.

- Pete, myself, and others to know Ray Bramucci.

Final question, why is it so important as part of this series called Remember Them, that we remember our friend Ray Bramucci?

- I think you put your finger on it.

He's not known well enough.

That's funny.

It's funny, I just was reading this book while waiting for our interview and I thought.

- We have one on Yogi too.

- And I thought Ray was a little like Yogi.

Now, eventually Yogi became famous, but while Yogi was playing, it was like, it was this little squatty guy.

You know, he is got a weird swing, but guess what?

Monster hitter, great runner, terrific.

Ray was that, Ray was kind of Yogi in his day.

He didn't look slick, but his heart and his mind were always in the right place, whether it was truth, whether it was challenging.

It didn't matter.

He was fully present and you know, he transformed my life.

I know he helped yours and you know, I can list dozens of others that he affects.

- Yeah, but Pete, I have to end on this note.

I appreciate the Yogi reference, but let's be clear.

(Pete laughing) Ray was from Boston.

He was not a Yankee fan.

He was a Red Sox fan.

- He was.

- We were out to dinner with Ray and Sue, my wife Jen and I, while, and Ray loved his wine.

As Pete knows, he loved his wine.

He would talk about Yastrzemski, Ted Williams.

- Yeah.

- Everybody, and I had to listen to this Boston Red Sox stuff.

He was not a Yankee fan, I just, and he lets you know it.

- Well, there's karma for you.

I show you Yogi, and we're talking about Ray.

Sorry.

- Yeah, Pete Taft sharing memories of our great friend, a great public servant who cared so much about so many others.

The late, great Ray Bramucci.

Thank you, my friend Pete.

We'll talk soon.

- Thanks Steve.

Bye-Bye.

- You got to.

Stay with us, we'll be right back.

- [Narrator] To watch more One on One with Steve Adubato find us online and follow us on Social media.

We continue to remember people who matter.

This is Joe Roth, just lost Joe in 2023.

This is an interview Jacqui had did with Carolyn Welsh, who's the President and CEO of the New Jersey Sharing Network.

Organ and tissue donation.

That was Joe's public life for many, many years, organ and tissue donation.

And you interviewed Joe as well.

You had a connection to him and the Sharing Network.

Talk about Joe and why he mattered so much.

- Joe was such a special guy.

His commitment to spreading the word about organ and tissue donation went above and beyond what his job title was, heading the New Jersey Sharing Network for so many years.

And hearing from Carolyn who, she took over that position, Joe's position after he passed away.

And I know how important that is for her to carry on his legacy that he was trying to do for that community.

Joe still lives on in so many different ways, but just this past year, there was the opening of the Joseph S. Ross Simulation Center.

- Yeah.

- Something that, another part of his legacy, something that was so important to Joe and will continue to be important as clinical teams learn more and more about best ways to handle organ and tissue donation in our state and around the country.

- And, Jacqui, and go back and look at some of our interviews from the 5K, right, Jacqui?

The 5K, New Jersey.

Jacqui leads that effort.

She does a whole series of great interviews.

She interviewed Joe in the past.

I interviewed Joe in the past at the New Jersey Sharing Network annual 5K.

But this is Carolyn Welsh.

Remembering a terrific guy, someone who made a difference, Joe Roth.

- This day means what for this organization?

- Well, it's another, you know, part of our growth of this organization and our recognition of those that have made us successful.

The donor families who've given the ultimate, the donors who've given the ultimate gift of life.

It also recognizes those people who are waiting to give them hope for getting a transplant and also recognizes those who died while waiting, unfortunately, and couldn't get a transplant.

And that's where our job still has fallen short, is saving lives of people on the waiting list.

- We're joined now by our longtime friend, a trustee of the Caucus Educational Corporation, Carolyn Welsh, President and CEO of New Jersey Sharing Network.

Carolyn, how are you?

- Hey, thanks Steve.

How are you?

- Good.

We just saw a clip from an interview that we did with our great friend, our late great friend, Joe Roth.

We honor Joe, we remember Joe, part of our "Remember Them" series I do with my colleague Jacqui Tricarico.

It's seen on "One-on-One" as well.

Who was Joe Roth and why is his legacy so incredibly important, particularly when it comes to organ and tissue donation?

- So, big personality, big question.

So, we'll start big then I'm sure we'll go somewhere else.

Joe.

Funny, family man, dedicated to the Sharing Network and organ donation for, you know, over 25 years.

Leader of the organization for a long time, and took it to great new heights, you know, that we had never seen before and saved more people's lives than ever before with Joe's leadership.

- Where do you think Joe's passion for organ donation, and PS, New Jersey Sharing Network?

We've been partners with them for a long time, creating, trying to create greater public awareness around organ tissue donation.

And Joe was really the key to that.

And then you've carried on that legacy.

Joe's passion for organ donation came from where?

- Really mostly just basically from healthcare and public health perspective, doing the right thing.

Saw the great need and he really brought a different leadership to the organ procurement organization industry.

Many leaders in the organization, before Joe, were clinicians and Joe came from more of a business background, right.

Came from a different perspective and I think that that really changed the scope of organ donation across the country.

- I'd say it'd get even more specific.

New Jersey digital driver's license, creating an electronic donor registry.

Talk about that and Joe's connection to it.

- Yeah, so each state really held and still some do hold their state registry and with Donate Life America, Joe partnered with, you know, the state and nationally and said, "Shouldn't we have one national registry?"

Depending on where you live it, it shouldn't matter.

So had the Sharing Network partner up, with Joe's leadership, to really kick that off.

And we do now have a national registry through Donate Life America.

And he also started the license plate in New Jersey with Donate Life and just really tried to hit awareness from all perspectives throughout the state to really save people's lives that were in need.

- To find out more check out the website.

The Sharing Network is up right now.

So Joe, there was another, Joe was very aware of legislation and the need for policy changes.

There was a bill in 2020, the Immuno Bill, providing indefinite Medicare coverage to immunosuppressive drugs for kidney transplant recipients.

I know that sounds jargony, but make it real.

- Sure.

That was something amazing that came to fruition finally.

He had been working on that for 20 years and the, I won't know all the details, so don't quote the exact, but there were limits on, after you received a kidney transplant, your medication is lifetime after you receive a transplant and the pharmaceutical benefit would stop after a certain amount of time, which doesn't make sense, right?

You're given this life-saving gift and you need this medication to keep it so the rejection is low and that you remain healthy as possible.

And he fought for years to make that not be a problem for people who received Medicare, who received an organ.

And that came to fruition in 2020.

He was super proud of that.

- You know, you knew Joe.

Describe your relationship with Joe.

- Ah, (laughs) so, I laugh because I learned so much.

Youngest of five, Irish Catholic, very talkative person, you know that, talking with my hands, I'm trying to keep him down to not obstruct the scene of camera.

And Joe was a very good, patient listener.

And learning our relationship together, I started, I interviewed with him, my first interaction at 27 years old.

And it was just a partnership in a way.

He trusted me.

He gave me the space to make mistakes, learn and grow, and had patience, and I just think it, he brought a lot of balance.

I think I'm learning more now what he gave me than probably before being in the CEO position.

I think learning and seeing and not understanding it until you're in this role, and the balance, it, he wasn't all work, you know.

He was passionate and he did everything he needed to do, but he cared about his family.

They were important and he loved to do other things.

He loved to travel.

He loved, he loved life.

- He loved the Rolling Stones.

- Oh, yes, yes he did.

He loved music.

- I remember we were in a meeting and we're having a conversation about certain programming ideas and Joe was like, "Look, I gotta go."

I said, "What do you mean, 'I gotta go'"?

"Oh, I gotta get ready to travel to go see the Rolling Stones."

I said, "How many times have you seen 'em?"

He goes, "I lost count."

What was his deal with music?

Loved it.

And the Rolling Stones.

- Lady Gaga, right.

So it was great when I, when he shared with the staff the concerts he was going, I think it made him real, you know, to all generations that were in the Sharing Network.

We have people that are very young that work here to all ages.

And I think it made him human to see that he did these other things and did it to show up.

And he wasn't just a CEO and he didn't just come to work every day and that's all he did.

And he was just passionate about it.

He loved it and all different music.

Like he didn't have like a one-lane music love.

So it was pretty compelling.

And I think that that's, I'm trying to do it, and I wouldn't say I'm perfect at it, but I reflect on those moments of him really pushing to say, "You need to have balance."

To be able to do this job and to be able to give it all, you've gotta have those other things.

- Well, none of us are perfect at that, but, at finding that balance.

Carolyn, I wanna try something else.

In April of 2024, we're taping this at the end of 2024, the Joseph S. Roth Simulation Center was opened.

What is it and why is it so significant?

- The Simulation Center at the Sharing Network is about education and training.

It was a dream of the Sharing Network for many, many years.

And Joe was an innovator.

Joe stayed ahead of technology.

He really pushed us to limits to say, "No, if this is out there, we're gonna bring it here, we're gonna bring it to organ donation so that we could be the best that we."

Sim Center- - Simulating what though?

I'm sorry, simulating what?

- Yep.

All different parts of organ donation from speaking to families so that we practice, we video, we make sure that we're compassionate.

We teach our staff through the Simulation Center about recovery of organs, the technical parts of it, anatomy.

It is like a hospital setting.

We can transition the room from a critical care bed to an operating room and all levels of staff will be able to train in their particular roles through updated computer system, updated audio visual.

And Joe was a part of that.

- Final question.

The vast majority of our audience doesn't know who Joe was and why he mattered so much.

And I appreciate you laying this out.

Joe Roth and his legacy died a very young at age, 75, and he had so much more to give and struggling on the back end, but still kept working at it.

We should remember Joe Roth because- - (indistinct) Family man and fun loving and caring about others and the rest of the population that is waiting for an organ.

Just an incredible, dedicated person to change and make the world a better place after he was here.

- Joe made a difference.

Carolyn, thank you so much.

We appreciate it.

- Thank you.

- Joe Roth, there'll never be another one.

Thanks for watching.

I'll see you next time.

- [Narrator] One-On-One with Steve Adubato is a production of the Caucus Educational Corporation.

Celebrating 30 years in public broadcasting.

Funding has been provided by PSEG Foundation.

Holy Name.

Robert Wood Johnson Foundation.

Newark Board of Education.

The North Ward Center.

The New Jersey Economic Development Authority.

The Russell Berrie Foundation.

And by And by Seton Hall University.

Promotional support provided by The New Jersey Business & Industry Association.

And by And by BestofNJ.com.

- (Inspirational Music) - (Narrator) Great drive fuels the leaders of tomorrow and today.

Great vision paves the way for a brighter future.

Great ambition goes places, moving onward and upward.

Great empathy finds strength in kindness and in each other, working together to create something bigger than they ever imagined.

Great minds can change the world and great minds start at Seton Hall.