Benjie E. Wimberly
Recently sworn in, for his sixth term to the New Jersey General Assembly, Assemblyman Wimberly earned his Bachelor of Arts degree in Sociology from Virginia State University and taught Special Education with the Paterson Public School District. During his tenure, Wimberly served as the Eastside High School head baseball coach, won 100 games, and took his team to Puerto Rico four times. In addition, his work ethic and leadership enabled Assemblyman Wimberly, as head football coach, to lead Paterson Catholic Regional High School football team to seven state championships and eight league championships.
As Coordinator of Recreation for Paterson, Wimberly expanded program offerings such as summer camps, evening recreation/study programs, athletic leagues and afternoon programs for youth, adults, and senior citizens. Under his leadership the youth of Paterson participate in U.S. Youth Games and have traveled throughout the USA, including Florida, California, South Carolina, Alabama, and Wisconsin, and they have also traveled to Canada.
Believing that "a mind is a terrible thing to waste", Assemblyman Wimberly participates and coordinates multiple efforts that raise hundreds of thousands of dollars in scholarship funds for high school students via the athletic departments of Eastside High School, Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc. where he is a Life Member, the Mayor's UNCF Task Force, and the Rev. Dr. Frank Napier, Jr. Scholarship Committee. He is the recipient of more than 150 awards, citations, and honors, including selection to the Passaic County Technical Institute Hall of Fame and serving as Grand Marshall in the Paterson African Heritage Parade. He continues to garner respect and support from various segments of local, state, and national communities. Most recently, he was honored by Black Villages Magazine as "One of the 50 Most Influential Blacks in the State of New Jersey".