Alan Sagner

Alan Louis Sagner
Born	(1920-09-13) 13 September 1920 Baltimore, Maryland, U.S.
Died	3 January 2018(2018-01-03) (aged 97) Palm Beach Gardens, Florida, U.S.
Occupation(s)	Politician, entrepreneur, philanthropist
Years active	1960–1997
Known for	New Jersey Commissioner of Transportation; Chairman of the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey; Chairman of the Corporation for Public Broadcasting

Alan Louis Sagner (September 13, 1920 – January 3, 2018) was a prominent American figure known for his roles as a Democratic Party politician, entrepreneur, and philanthropist. His notable appointments included serving as New Jersey's Commissioner of Transportation, Chairmanship of the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, and leadership of the Corporation for Public Broadcasting.

Early life

Born in Baltimore, Maryland, to Mary and Samuel Sagner, who was engaged in manufacturing men's apparel, Sagner completed his secondary education at Forest Park High School. He pursued higher education at the University of Maryland and obtained a Master’s degree in American History from Columbia University. In 1945, he married Ruth Levin, daughter of Maurice Levin, a real estate developer based in New Jersey. Alongside his brother-in-law Martin Levin, Sagner established Levin/Sagner, a company specializing in home construction and real estate development. Their initial projects began with land acquisitions in Livingston, New Jersey, later expanding into Morris County and parts of Pennsylvania, primarily developing single-family residences.

Sagner held significant positions in healthcare governance, including President of the Board of Trustees at Newark Beth Israel Medical Center, Vice President of the Health and Hospitals Council of Metropolitan New Jersey, and Trustee at the New Jersey College of Medicine and Dentistry. Additionally, he chaired the New Jersey chapter of the Regional Plan Association from 1976 to 1977.

Political career

Sagner’s political involvement commenced in 1960 when he supported former Illinois Governor Adlai Stevenson during his campaign for the Democratic presidential nomination. He actively participated as a volunteer at the Democratic National Convention and joined Democrats for Good Government, an organization focused on reforming Essex County's Democratic Party. He played a role in the successful gubernatorial campaign of Richard J. Hughes and co-chaired Citizens for Humphrey-Muskie in New Jersey during the 1968 election cycle.

In 1973, Sagner took on the role of finance chairman for Brendan Byrne's bid for the Democratic gubernatorial nomination. He was selected as a delegate pledged to Walter Mondale at the 1984 Democratic National Convention. Between 1988 and 1992, he served as a trustee on the Democratic National Committee and led the New Jersey Business Council supporting Clinton-Gore’s campaign in 1992.

Notably, Sagner was among the founders of the Fair Play for Cuba Committee in 1960.

Commissioner of transportation

Governor-elect Brendan Byrne appointed Sagner as New Jersey Commissioner of Transportation effective January 3, 1975. Despite lacking prior experience in transportation matters, Byrne highlighted Sagner’s strong administrative capabilities. Manuel Carballo was appointed Deputy Commissioner alongside him.

During 1975, tensions arose when the New Jersey AFL-CIO executive board demanded Sagner’s resignation due to disagreements over his inability to obtain federal funding for highway construction projects. That same year, Sagner revealed that John Nero, a Democratic leader from Camden County, had offered $25,000 to Byrne’s 1973 gubernatorial campaign in return for a state commission appointment; Sagner stated that he rejected this proposal amid ongoing corruption inquiries.

Port Authority of New York and New Jersey Chairman

Sagner stepped down as Commissioner of Transportation in June 1977 to assume the role of Chairman at the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey. This move settled a jurisdictional dispute between Governor Byrne and New York Governor Hugh Carey regarding control over the agency. His predecessor, Dr. William J. Ronan, had been criticized for his frequent international trips funded by the Port Authority. On January 21, 1974, the New Jersey State Senate confirmed Sagner's appointment with a 38–1 vote; the sole dissenting voice was Newark independent Anthony Imperiale. Sagner continued as Chairman following Republican Thomas Kean’s election as Governor in 1981 and resigned in 1985 when Kean selected Philip Kaltenbacher as his successor. Notably, during Kean's 1985 campaign for re-election, Sagner endorsed Democrat Peter Shapiro (financier), who had begun his career working for the state Department of Transportation.

Corporation for Public Broadcasting

In 1994, President Bill Clinton nominated Sagner to join the Board of Directors of the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB). His nomination encountered resistance from Senate Republicans due to his ownership of the progressive magazine The Nation and his involvement in founding the Fair Play for Cuba Committee in 1960. Senator John McCain challenged Sagner’s qualifications related to public broadcasting and raised concerns about potential political partiality. After undergoing a five-month confirmation process, Sagner was confirmed by the Senate and served as CPB Chairman from 1996 until 1997.

Later years

Sagner was married to Ruth Levin Sagner (1924–1995), a social worker, from 1945 until her passing. They resided in South Orange, New Jersey, raising three children: John Sagner, Deborah Sagner Buurma, and Amy Sagner Pouliot. On December 1, 1996, he wed Lenore Green Schottenstein (born 1935), who serves as a director at M/I Schottenstein Company, a home construction firm based in Columbus, Ohio.

He held a trustee position at The Century Foundation.

Sagner passed away at his residence in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida, at the age of 97.