Beth Mason

Elizabeth "Beth" Abruzese Mason is an American politician and member of the Democratic Party, who served as 2nd Ward Councilwoman and City Council President in Hoboken, New Jersey from 2007 until 2015.

Mason grew up in a middle-class family in Richmond, Virginia with her parents Tom and Judy and her younger sister Terri. She is a graduate of Virginia Commonwealth University, where she became the first ever woman to serve as President of the Student Government at VCU. Mason has also completed courses at New York University’s Stern School of Business, The New School’s Milano School for Management and Urban Policy, and Harvard University’s John F. Kennedy School of Government. Mason practices Judaism and is an active member of the United Synagogue of Hoboken.

Shortly after graduation, she moved to Hoboken in 1984, where she has lived ever since. At just 28 years old, Mason was named Vice President of a New York City advertising agency and then named President at age 31.

Over the years she has advised over 80 businesses, many of them Fortune 500 companies. Some of her most notable clients are MCIWorldcom, Goldman Sachs, American Express, and the Taj Mahal. Beth also donated her expertise to the NY American Marketing Association. She is the co-founder of the AMA's Marketing Hall of Fame, the only award that honors brands, and won the association's coveted Gold Effie among other advertising industry awards.

She is married to Ricky Mason and together they have two daughters, Shipley and Virginia. The Mason family also includes a Cocker Spaniel named Hobo.

A vocal advocate for transparency, Mason help found Hoboken People for Open Government in 2004, a local organization dedicated to opening the doors to government in Hoboken and Hudson County. Later that year, she was also elected President of the New Jersey Foundation for Open Government and currently serves on its Board of Directors. Mason was elected to be 2nd Ward Councilwoman on May 8, 2007 and elected Hoboken City Council President on January 5, 2011. She was reelected to a second term on the City Council on May 10, 2011.

Mason ran for Hoboken Mayor in 2009, finishing in third place in a crowded field of candidates. The top two candidates Peter Cammarano and Dawn Zimmer faced off in a runoff election. Mason endorsed Zimmer, but Cammarano prevailed in a tight race winning by just 161 votes.

After Cammarano was arrested by the FBI as part of a major corruption and international money laundering conspiracy probe known as Operation Bid Rig, Mason again faced Zimmer in the special election, along with five other opponents: businessman Frank Raia, former Hoboken Municipal Court Judge Kimberly Glatt, Hoboken Republican Club co-founder Nathan Brinkman, management consultant Everton A. Wilson, and former corrections officer Patricia Waiters. Zimmer won with 43% of the vote, while Mason finished in second place with 23%.

Since this was a special election no runoff was required. This allowed Zimmer to win despite failing to receive 51% of the vote. Many political observers feel that the split opposition allowed Zimmer to win the election to fill Peter Cammarano's unexpired term as Mayor.

Mason declined to run for Mayor a third time in 2013, instead choosing to honor her commitment to serve the full four years as 2nd Ward Councilwoman.

Mason continues to remain active in the Democratic Party. She is a staunch advocate for gun control and equal pay. In 2011, the Hoboken NAACP awarded Beth Mason the Barack Obama Political Achievement Award in honor of her lifelong efforts to help every citizen get ahead. Mason endorsed Hillary Clinton for President and is actively campaigning for her.