Peter Ian Shapiro (April 18, 1952 – March 28[1] or 29,[2] 2024) was an American financial services executive, member of the Board of Directors of New Israel Fund,[3] and politician from New Jersey.
During high school he was suspended for leading a protest against the Vietnam War but was reinstated after the New Jersey chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union intervened.
[5] After college, Shapiro returned to Essex County and quickly launched his political career after working for New Jersey Commissioner of Transportation Alan Sagner in Brendan Byrne's administration.
Shapiro ran for the new office, defeating the well-entrenched Democratic organization led by county chairman Harry Lerner.
[10] In 1986, Shapiro lost his reelection bid for Essex County Executive to Republican Nicholas R. Amato by a margin of 12,000 votes.
[9] Shapiro moved into the private sector, spending six years at Citibank, where he served as a senior banker and headed the municipal derivatives business and public finance department.
[5] Shapiro had lung disease at the end of his life, and died from respiratory failure at his home in South Orange, New Jersey, in March 2024 the age of 71.