Mark Sokolich

Mark Sokolich
Mayor of Fort Lee
Incumbent
Assumed office January 7, 2008
Preceded by	Jack Alter
Personal details
Born	Mark J. Sokolich 1963 (age 52–53) Fort Lee, New Jersey, U.S.
Political party	Democratic
Alma mater	Rutgers University; Seton Hall University
Profession	Attorney and politician

Mark J. Sokolich (born 1963) is an American attorney and politician. He currently serves as the mayor of Fort Lee, New Jersey. He is also the managing partner of the law firm that he founded. He is a member of the Democratic Party.

Early life

Sokolich is of Croatian descent and was raised in Fort Lee. His father died when he was 12 years old, and his mother died the following year.^[1]

Sokolich graduated from Fort Lee High School. He played basketball and baseball in high school, and was named All-State in basketball and All-County in baseball. Though universities offered him scholarships to play basketball, he broke his ankle during his senior year of high school, and the scholarship offers were withdrawn. Sokolich enrolled at Rutgers University, and he walked on to the Rutgers Scarlet Knights men's basketball team.^[2] He earned his bachelor's degree from Rutgers. Sokolich earned a juris doctor from Seton Hall University School of Law,^[1] which he attended at the same time as Chris Christie.^[3]

Career

Sokolich worked in a few law firms, before forming his own, Sokolich & Macri, in 1998, of which he serves as the managing partner.^[1] He is also a director of Bancorp of New Jersey.^[4]

Sokolich served on the Fort Lee City Council for four years before being elected mayor in 2007.^[1] Sokolich replaced incumbent mayor Jack Alter as the Democratic candidate after Alter's sudden death.^[5] Sokolich was re-elected in 2011.^[6]

When Chris Christie ran for re-election in 2013, Sokolich did not endorse him. Evidence strongly indicates that this lack of an endorsement led Christie's deputy chief of staff to direct a Christie appointee on the board of the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey to reallocate two of the customary three toll lanes from Fort Lee to the George Washington Bridge, causing massive gridlock.^[7]

References

1. Sarnoff, David. "A Conversation with Fort Lee Mayor Mark Sokolich". Fort Lee Patch. Retrieved January 9, 2014.
2. The Auditor (February 23, 2014). "Fort Lee's mayor lived a past life on Rutgers' basketball court: The Auditor". The Star-Ledger. Retrieved February 24, 2014.
3. Fleisher, Lisa (January 8, 2014). "Fort Lee's Mayor in Bridge Spotlight". Wall Street Journal. Retrieved January 9, 2014.
4. "Mark Sokolich". Forbes. Retrieved January 9, 2014.
5. Sico, Christina (October 31, 2007). "Mark Sokolich To Take On Judith Fisher In Fort Lee Mayoral Race". NY1. Retrieved January 9, 2014.
6. Wander, Erik. "Local Incumbents Reelected, Veterans Day Ceremony Top Fort Lee News". Fort Lee Patch. Retrieved January 9, 2014.
7. Giambusso, David (January 8, 2014). "Fort Lee Mayor says he fears further retribution in wake of GWB lane closure scandal". NJ.com. Retrieved January 9, 2014.