"He gave not only of his money, but also his time and talents," said the Rev. Anthony Cataudo, chaplain at the Monastery of Perpetual Rosary on Haddon Avenue in Camden.
"I don't think there was anybody who ever met Joe who didn't like him. Everything he did came from his heart."
Mr. Balzano began at the port in 1951 as an office clerk and equipment operator and rose to become acting superintendent and dock superintendent. In 1988, he was named executive director and CEO of the state agency.
Through Democratic and Republican administrations, he stayed in the job, guiding the South Jersey port from 500,000 tons of cargo in 1968 to more than 4 million tons, port corporation board chairman Dick Alaimo said.
"He would work 14, 18 hours, weekends and holidays. He used to sleep in his office," said Jay Jones, spokesman for the port corporation.
"He had a tremendous work ethic," said Mr. Balzano's son, Joseph W. "He will be remembered most for his contributions to the port and to the city of Camden. He was influential in bringing the USS New Jersey battleship to the port as a museum. That was something he was very proud of."
Robert Palaima, president of the Delaware River Stevedores, said Mr. Balzano "was the only port leader who had the unquestioned trust of labor. He had an affection for people who worked at the port that was so unique for a port leader."
"He put the port of Camden on the map around the world," Palaima said. "You can travel to South Asia, Africa, or Europe and people will know Camden, N.J., for its port because of what he accomplished with bringing cocoa, steel, and plywood to the Delaware River."
