Meet Our Spirit of Edison Impact Award Honorees

The TESU Foundation is honored to present the 2025 Spirit of Edison Impact Award Honorees:

Community Leader Award

Ron Gimbel

CFO, Sumitomo Pharma America
TESU Foundation Board Member

Ron Gimbel assumed the role of Chief Financial Officer of Sumitomo Pharma America in October 2023.

Prior to joining Sumitomo Pharma America, Ron served as Chief Financial Officer of Flagship Labs and Enterprise, part of Flagship Pioneering from 2021 to 2023. In this role he oversaw operations across four functional areas (Finance, Digital/IT, Real Estate/Facilities Operations and Procurement). Ron collaborated closely with his functional teams to build and lead all aspects of financial operations, business partnering, facilities operations, strategic sourcing, and digital strategy execution for more than 25 start-up companies in the Flagship Pioneering enterprise.

From 1997 to 2021 Ron held various leadership positions at Bristol-Myers Squibb Company as it evolved from a large-cap pharmaceutical company to a next-generation biopharma company. Ron was responsible for building and leading robust financial operations globally and achieved steady career progression in manager, director, executive director, and vice president level roles. His diverse roles included managing director of finance, BMS Japan, assistant treasurer, head of finance for global manufacturing and product supply, chief audit officer (CAO), and head of global research and development.

Ron received his B.S. in Finance and M.B.A. from Colorado State University. He is also a graduate of the U.S. Army Ranger School and served in the U.S. Army.

Corporate Community Leader Award

PSEG Foundation

Award acceptance by:

Calvin R. Ledford Jr.
President
PSEG Foundation and Director of Corporate Social Responsibility

Calvin R. Ledford Jr. is President of the PSEG Foundation and Director of PSEG Corporate Social Responsibility. In this role, Mr. Ledford has responsibility of management and governance of all the philanthropic programs and operations in corporate citizenship which include corporate giving, in kind giving, volunteerism, and the PSEG Foundation. Calvin is married to Dr. Dionne Ledford who is the Executive Director/Superintendent of Roseville Community Charter School in Newark. He is the father of two daughters, Dr. Jasmyn Ledford-Woods and Jayda Ledford, all of whom attended Hampton University.

In response to the coronavirus pandemic, Mr. Ledford led an initiative that awarded $2.5 million in funding from PSEG and the PSEG Foundation that supported nonprofits throughout New Jersey addressing the medical, social, and economic needs of New Jersey communities. Additionally, Mr. Ledford was responsible for the 2020 launch of the Powering Equity and Social Justice Initiative, which included a $1 million commitment from PSEG and the PSEG Foundation to support organizations that address equity, racial injustice, and human rights in communities of color. Mr. Ledford also leads the over $2 million multiyear commitment to three HBCU’s (Hampton University, Howard University and North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University) to increase the pipeline of students to HBCU’s from New Jersey studying in the STEM fields of education.

Calvin’s over 35-year career at PSEG has allowed him to cultivate and maintain strong relationships with communities and stakeholders all across PSEG’s service and operating territory.

Mr. Ledford is very active in the community and belongs to a number of organizations and serves on multiple executive boards. He is a member of the Omega Psi Phi fraternity Inc., Prince Hall Free and Accepted Masons as well as the Benevolent Protective Order of Reindeer Inc. Currently, he serves as the chair of the University Hospital foundation board, Board of Trustee member of the New Jersey Hall of Fame, Newark Regional Business Partnership, Junior Achievement of New Jersey board, as well as a member of the Board of Visitors for the college of arts and science (COAS) at Howard University. Mr. Ledford is a graduate of Hampton University. He is also a distinguished alumnus of Leadership Newark and Lead New Jersey.

The PSEG Foundation, 501(c) (3), the philanthropic arm of Public Service Enterprise Group Inc. (PEG) (NYSE), prioritizes investments in environmental sustainability, social justice, equity and economic empowerment in the communities served by PSEG. Headquartered in Newark, N.J., PSEG is a diversified energy company with approximately 12,500 employees. In 2022, PSEG was named one of Forbes’ Best Employers for Diversity for the fifth year in a row. In addition, PSEG was named to the Dow Jones Sustainability Index North America for the 17th consecutive year in 2024. In 2021, the PSEG Foundation received the New Jersey Business and Industry Association (NJBIA) Collaborative Approach Award for the Foundation’s support of communities through difficult times. Forbes’ named PSEG as one of Americas Best Large employers for 2022. This year PSEG was named to Newsweek’s Americas Most Responsible companies list for 2025.