Atlantic County Officials Meet with US HART CARES to Plan Economic Unity
James Whitehead, chairman of US HART CARES. speaks at Atlantic County Mayors meeting on Saturday, Jan. 24, 2026. Photo courtesy of US HART CARES
BY CLYDE HUGHES | AC JosepH Media
ATLANTIC CITY – Before the big snowstorm on Saturday (Jan. 24), Atlantic County leaders came together to create a positive storm of cooperation in the first ever mayoral meeting focused on leveraging the Atlantic Coastal Tourism District Opportunity Zone.
The meeting at the Hard Rock Casino and Hotel Atlantic City, organized by tech organization U.S. Humanitarian Aid Response Team CARES, or U.S. HART CARES, brought together Atlantic County Commissioner Michael Ruffu, Longport Mayor Patrick Armstrong, Margate Mayor Michael Collins, Ventnor Mayor Tim Kriebel, Atlantic City Mayor Marty Small Sr., Brigantine Mayor Vince Sera, and Hard Rock Casino President George Goldhoff.
“U.S. HART CARES President Horace Jones and I are very thankful that these distinguished Mayors agreed to participate in our first meeting, we’re thankful that God held up the snow storm until after we met, and after we completed our wonderful RX5 Cyber Guardians Cybersecurity Workforce Training second cohort graduation,” said U.S. HART CARE’s Chairman James Whitehead.
“What started as a RX5 Cybersecurity Workforce Training Program sponsored by Congressman Jeff Van Drew, is at a point where we plan to expand our program to local Atlantic Coastal Sister-Cities.”
— Atlantic City Mayor Marty Small, Sr.
Collins said in released statement that opportunity zones were “wonderful economic development tools” that can provide tax incentives in designated low-income urban and rural communities.
“It’s an honor to collaborate with U.S. HART CARES focusing on leading this extraordinary ACTDOZ effort to spur innovative Cybersecurity and Artificial Intelligence job creation and economic growth in distressed areas, as well as for Atlantic City’s Sister Coastal Cities,” Collins said in the statement.
Ruffu said that creating an economic development opportunity for all six municipalities will mutually benefit from the Tourism District Opportunity Zone, which is located between Atlantic Avenue and the Boardwalk, and from New Hampshire Avenue to South Albany Avenue.
“President Donald J. Trump’s Platinum Plan advocates using Opportunity Zones to support Black economic empowerment and access to capital, which is a wonderful approach towards helping Atlantic City and her sister-Cities create much needed economic growth,” entrepreneur Jim Worthington said in an accompanying statement.
Resorts Casino President Mark Giannantonio said he has been supporting U.S. HART CARES RX5 Cybersecurity Workforce Training program from its infancy.
“They’ve been consistent with their focus of providing local Atlantic City residents a much-needed pathway to a successful future, while helping keep Atlantic City safe from future cyber-attacks and crimes,” he said.
Fellow local casino leader, Hard Rock Atlantic City President George Goldhoff, said he has always been attracted to local community economic development efforts.
“We are proud to recognize U.S. HART CARES Opportunity Zones and support the RX5 Cyber Guardian Cybersecurity workforce training endeavors,” Goldhoff said.
U.S. Housing and Urban Development Region Administrator Jason Loughran said he was gratified to see the graduation of RX5 Cyber Guardians cohorts, noting that such training leads to the growing tech jobs of the future.
“This important graduation … has trained the next RX5 Cyber Guardians to support Atlantic City’s digital assets and technology for advancement, and economic self-sufficiency,” Loughran said in a statement.
Atlantic City Mayor Marty Small added, “What started as a RX5 Cybersecurity Workforce Training Program sponsored by Congressman Jeff Van Drew, is at a point where we plan to expand our program to local Atlantic Coastal Sister-Cities.”
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