Trenton, February 1, 2018 ― Dean J. Paranicas, President and Chief Executive Officer of the HealthCare Institute of New Jersey (HINJ), testified today (Feb. 1) at the inaugural hearing of the Assembly Science, Innovation and Technology Committee.
Paranicas said the panel will play a valuable role by focusing on the needs of New Jersey’s innovation economy, “which has a long legacy as a global leader spanning more than a century in chemicals, pharmaceuticals, telecommunications and food processing, all of which have their roots here.”
The state has made tremendous progress to foster innovation and research in recent years, he said, but more needs to be done. Along with offering specific recommendations, the HINJ President said: “A state’s attitude goes a long way in setting the tone. In our case, New Jersey needs to embrace the life sciences as Texas embraces oil and gas and Michigan embraces the automobile industry.”
Paranicas commended Assembly Speaker Craig Coughlin for establishing the committee and expressed appreciation to Assemblyman Andrew Zwicker for agreeing to serve as Chairman and to the Committee members for their participation.
The full text of Paranicas’ testimony is posted on the HINJ website here.