MBCA Fall Gala honors founder, community activist who started it all

Sometimes, a small favor can turn into a lifelong mission.

That’s the case for Gary Hill.

Once upon a time, Hill was pulled aside by his now-husband John Schultz and asked if he would help out a new organization that was forming to help unite midtown businesses in Atlantic City.

That was 35 years ago.

“Well, it really wasn’t my idea, to be very honest,” Hill said. “The president, who’s still the president of the MBCA — John Schultz, who is my partner — he decided to put something together with some other business leaders. There was a very well-known Italian restaurant on New York Avenue called Mama Mott’s. And the owner of Mama Mott’s would sit down with John, who was in business himself with the bar and other things, and they would say, ‘Hey, we’ve got to get this city going. We’ve got to get this midtown going.”

Not only did they get it going, but the impact the MBCA has made over those years is incredible.

Hill was the driving force.

And he loves every minute of it, whether he will admit that or not.

I know. I have been working for Hill for over 2½ years now as he has been grooming me to take over the Executive Director position of the foundation. Since arriving there, I have worked with Hill on many events — most of them pull in upwards of 500 people, which is unheard of anymore — and I have learned an enormous amount. I certainly have big shoes to fill.

To say he’s the most dedicated, hard worker I have ever worked alongside is an understatement. His ambition, inner drive and goal to make the MBCA, and all of the organizations he is involved with, succeed isn’t a job for him; it’s a passion. That’s because the events he organizes and the money he raises goes to help beautify neighborhoods, award scholarships to future leaders and make Atlantic City a better place to live, work and visit: the Foundation’s mission statement.

Hill will be rightfully honored 6 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 14, at the MBCA Foundation’s 34th Annual Officers Installation and Awards Gala — this year titled The Best is Yet to Come! —at Tropicana Atlantic City.

The event will feature a lavish cocktail hour with cash bar, gourmet, sit-down dinner, music by famed crooner Steven Maglio, a night reminiscing Hill’s storied career by longtime friends and board members including Assemblyman Don Guardian, Lloyd D. Levenson, Rich Helfant … and there will be some nice surprises along the way.

Around 600 people are expected to pay homage to Hill and usher in the 2026 Board of Directors, which will be installed by Atlantic City Councilman Kaleem Shabazz, including new board members Aura Sanchez (Borgata), Toni Brooks (Golden Nugget) and Scott Brown (Brown & McCarthy Insurance Agency).

“The Best is Yet to Come” offers layered meanings as Hill looks forward to a “semi-retirement” that will see me assume more of Hill’s responsibilities as Executive Director. It is important to note Hill isn’t going anywhere. His love for the MBCA won’t allow him to. What I hope to do is take a lot of the heavy lifting off his plate as he becomes a board member and advisor so he can spend more time with Schultz, whether it’s traveling with their friends or at their second home in Florida.

He will also continue to run the Schultz-Hill Foundation, which promotes and produces arts and music programs in the area, and his tenure with the Miss’d America Organization, which he founded with Schultz, will continue, as well. He also chairs the Municipal Utilities Authority.

Yes, slowing down is tough for Gary Hill. That’s why he is an Atlantic City icon. Hill’s strongest asset is his amiable spirit and ability to bring everyone together for the betterment of South Jersey.

But the MBCA wasn’t just successful overnight.

Humble beginnings

With Hill tapped to lead and organize things, Irish Pub Owner Cathy Burke was instrumental in the MBCA’s creation, plunking down the first $1,000 to get the organization legally structured. A small board of seven members was created, including current Assemblyman and ongoing MBCA Board Vice President Don Guardian, and the legend began.

“He was working at that time at the Claridge when it was a casino back then, and he said, ‘You know, we’re in the midtown area. We should get together and make things happen. Let’s see if we can do something together.’” Hill explained. “So, all of these entities in that area got this going, and we have done a lot of good over 34 years, helping small businesses, big businesses and nonprofits. We have done beautification projects, awarded scholarships and even served as a mediator with the City for businesses who might need help interacting with City Hall with code enforcement, tax appeals. We wanted to have some communication in our midtown area.”

The MBCA now stands for Metropolitan Business and Citizens Association, but it didn’t start that way. Originally, the “M” was for Midtown. But the success of the MBCA made others in the city outside of Midtown want to be part of it.

“One day — knock, knock, knock — one of the legends of Atlantic City, (the late) Mack Latz from the Knife & Fork wanted to come to one of our meetings to see what it was all about,” Hill said. “He decided to come with a very good friend of his, Arleen Dougherty of the legendary Dougherty family (and Dock’s Oyster House). They were good friends being in the hospitality business together. They liked our goals and wanted to get involved and asked, ‘Why are you just Midtown?’ So, we decided to just change the bylaws and make it for the whole city to do bigger and better things and make an impact on the whole city and changed the ‘M’ to Metropolitan.”

Over the years, the MBCA established signature events, including the State of the City in January, when the Atlantic City Mayor traditionally sets a plan for the year ahead; the Spring Scholarship Luncheon, which has raised more than $400,000 and now awards more than $30,000 annually to future leaders; the Summer Mixer, which was recently held at Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Atlantic City; and the Fall Gala, which will honor Hill on Tuesday, Oct. 14.

John Schultz and Gary Hill

“We represent residents in our community and, of course, nonprofits, many nonprofits, about 60 in all in the region,” said Hill, noting the board has grown to now include more than 20 members representing major companies, casinos, small businesses and nonprofits. “We’ve grown from about 17 members when we started about 35 years ago to about maybe 650, 700 members today. We’re very proud of the growth of the development. The evolution of the MBCA has been outstanding, starting from a few small businesses and growing from there. We have amazing relationships with our casinos, and they’re amazing supporters. We wanted to keep it grassroots because our goal was to build a better living environment, quality of life, help promote business. Of course, it’s a business organization, but it’s also a community organization. It’s about building relationships throughout the business community and throughout the community in general. And we want to help.”

The best is yet to come

As the MBCA enters its 35th year, it will help beautify an area of Atlantic City that will be announced at the gala thanks to its new “Beautify AC! initiative, the first of what the MBCA hopes to be many neighborhood initiative projects.

The MBCA will also team with Atlantic County Toys for Kids by buying thousands of dollars of toys for kids in need this holiday season and organizing a toy drive that will culminate with a “Stuff the Sleigh” mixer at The Byrdcage in Atlantic City on Dec. 15.

That will lead to the State of the City event in January, the Scholarship Luncheon in the spring — more than $30,000 in scholarships will be awarded — and a Summer Mixer in August.

And while I may be making Hill’s life a little easier, I know he will always be there to guide the MBCA in the right direction with the best interest of Atlantic City always at the heart of matters.

“I’m very proud of the relationships that I was able to build and will continue to build and we’re continuing to build on,” Hill said.. “And while I will still be a major part of the MBCA, it’s always good time to know when it’s time to go. It’s good to get new blood, new ideas, new perspectives, because they bring something good to the table. I can still contribute, but it’s time to give somebody else a chance to contribute.”

The gala will be a night that will encapsulate what Hill and the MBCA have done for Atlantic City.

“I’m very honored to be able to get the Community Spirit Award, but mostly I’m really honored to be able to be with such an amazing board of directors, amazing supporters, terrific sponsors,” Hill said. “We’re going to have a great night, a lot of fun, some special surprises that I’m not going to be too thrilled about … but I can take a joke.”

So, with the MBCA, Miss’d America, Schultz-Hill Foundation and the MBCA, hopefully Hill will find some more time to enjoy “semi-retirement.”

“We’re back and forth to Florida now, and we like to travel,” Hill said. “I lost my mother, unfortunately, last November, and it made me kind of take a step back, it makes you take a little pause and say, ‘Whoa, whoa … it’s time to look at a sunset.”

The MBCA Foundation’s 34th Annual Officers Installation and Awards Gala — this year titled The Best is Yet to Come! — will be held 6 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 14, at Tropicana Atlantic City. Tickets, priced at $150, and a table of 11 for $1,500, are available by emailing scronick@comcast.net or going to MBCANJ.com.

Scott Cronick is an award-winning journalist who has written about entertainment, food, news and more in South Jersey for nearly three decades. He hosts a daily radio show – “Off The Press with Scott Cronick” – 4 to 6 p.m. weekdays on Newstalk WOND 1400-AM, 92.3-FM, and WONDRadio.com. He can be reached at scronick@comcast.net.