New Jersey Chamber of Commerce

216 West State Street, Trenton, NJ 08608 | 609-989-7888
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Alice H. Parker

Profession Inventor
Birthplace Morristown, NJ
Innovation Patented the home heating system while working from her home
NJ Connection Born and raised in Morristown, NJ

Next time you come in from the cold, think a warm thought for Alice H. Parker.

She was born shortly after the Civil War and though it was highly unusual in her time for a Black woman to attend college, Alice Parker did, and graduated Howard University with honors. 

Parker grew tired of the cold Morristown winters and the limited effectiveness of fireplaces to warm her home. 

So, with no training or experience in the field, Alice Parker designed a natural gas-fueled “new and improved heating furnace.” It was the first time anyone had thought of using natural gas for home heating.

Her design won her a patent in December 1919 and from her design was born the thermostat and the more familiar forced air furnace in most homes today.

Not much else is known of Alice Parker’s life.

Whether her anonymity was by choice or by the social design of the time is also not known, but to recognize her contribution to the state’s history of innovation, the NJ Chamber has named its “Women Leaders in Innovation” award after her.

NJ Women Innovators Spotlight

  • Ida Cohen Rosenthal

    Ida Cohen Rosenthal

    Before Victoria had a Secret, Maidenform had a dream. In it, women do everything from the exotic to the everyday wearing a Maiden Form bra. This dream was a post-World War II ad campaign, one of the most successful in Madison Avenue history. It elevated the Maiden Form Brassiere Company to the world's biggest seller of women's bras. Read More
  • Elizabeth Coleman White

    Elizabeth Coleman White

    The apple had Thomas Jefferson. The peanut had George Washington Carver. Fortunately for New Jersey, the blueberry had Elizabeth Coleman White. Read More
  • Nancy Munoz & Shavonda Sumter

    Nancy Munoz & Shavonda Sumter

    Bonnie Bassler has her own fish story but it has nothing to do with the size of her catch. Read More
  • Erna Hoover

    Erna Hoover

    It wasn't family and well-wishing friends rushing to Erna Hoover's house in 1971 right after she had come home from the hospital with her second child. It was a battery of well-heeled, briefcase-toting lawyers who needed her to review important legal paperwork - a patent application Bell Laboratories was filing on Hoover's behalf. Read More
  • Shirley Ann Jackson

    Shirley Ann Jackson

    Time Magazine called Shirley Ann Jackson the "ultimate role model for women in science" and so it was no surprise that the New Jersey Chamber of Commerce bestowed on Dr. Jackson its first ever Alice H. Parker Women Leaders in Innovation Award in 2015. Read More
  • Sara Spencer Washington

    Sara Spencer Washington

    While Sara Spencer Washington's story is a typical entrepreneurial success story, there was nothing typical about Sara Spencer Washington. She became one of the first Black women millionaires of the 20th Century by filling a gaping consumer need - beauty and cosmetic products for Black women. Read More
  • Yvonne Brill

    Yvonne Brill

    When she attended the University of Manitoba, Yvonne Brill was told in no uncertain terms that because of her gender, she could not study engineering. Undaunted, she studied mathematics and chemistry instead. Good move. Brill graduated at the top of her class and later earned a Master's in Chemistry from the University of Southern California. Read More
  • Beatrice Alice Hicks

    Beatrice Alice Hicks

    A trip to New York City in the early 1930's sealed it for teenager Beatrice Hicks. Enthralled by the new engineering marvels like the George Washington Bridge and the Empire State Building, Hicks knew exactly what she wanted to be when she grew up. But everyone - friends, classmates, teachers and family - tried to dissuade her from pursuing a career as an engineer - a choice considered socially unacceptable for a woman at the time. Read More
  • Alice H. Parker

    Alice H. Parker

    Alice Parker grew tired of the cold Morristown winters and the limited effectiveness of fireplaces to warm her home. So, she designed a natural gas-fueled "new and improved heating furnace" for which she was awarded a patent. It was the first time anyone had thought of using natural gas for home heating. Read More
  • Alice Paul

    Alice Paul

    Alice Paul followed in the footsteps of many 19th century suffragists but she was the one who led the successful crusade to secure the vote for women. All it required of her was seven arrests, three jail terms, a threat to be sent to an insane asylum, multiple hunger strikes, and the enmity of much of the country. Read More
  • Bonnie Bassler

    Bonnie Bassler

    Bonnie Bassler has her own fish story but it has nothing to do with the size of her catch. Read More
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2023 NJ Chamber Events

Mar 2

NJCC Small Business Series
Recruiting and Keeping Talent During Challenging Times

Where: Virtual Event
When: 9 a.m. - 10 a.m.
Free to participate

Mar 14-15

ReNew Jersey Business Summit & Expo 2023
Where: Harrah's Atlantic City

Apr 26

Evening Networking Mixer

Where: ShoreTown Ballpark, Lakewood 
When: 5 p.m. – 7 p.m.

Upcoming Events

Apr 12

NJCC Business Roundtable Series
Breakfast with Assemblywomen Muñoz & Swain

Where: TBD
When: noon – 2:30 p.m.

May 10

NJCC Business Roundtable Series
Lunch with State Senators Sarlo & Oroho

Where: Hilton Garden Inn Hamilton
When: noon – 2:30 p.m.

May 15

NJ Chamber Challenge Cup Golf Tournament

Where: Bedens Brook Club, Skillman
When: Registration opens at 10 a.m.

June 8

26th Annual NJ Chamber Open House and Reception

Where: The New Jersey State Museum, Trenton
When: 4 p.m. to 7 p.m.

Dec 7

Annual Member Holiday Party

Where: Calandra's Italian Village, Caldwell
When: 5 p.m. - 8 p.m.

NJ Chamber of Commerce Events

NJ Chamber events provide you with the chance to meet the state's top political and business leaders and make valuable contacts.

Events include:

The NJ Chamber Challenge Cup Golf Tournament
Our annual golf outing is held at one of the state’s most prestigious golf courses and provides a full day of fun and excellent networking.

Annual Open House
For more than 25 years, our outdoor reception has been considered the official start of the summer season in Trenton.  Hundreds of business and political leaders gather  in an informal setting to enjoy excellent food, live music, drink and, of course, good conversation.

Business Roundtable Series
Frequent roundtables with top political and government leaders who candidly discuss the most critical subjects of the moment from the state economy and state budget to legislative and regulatory initiatives that will help or affect the business community.

Holiday Party
A joyful end-of-year celebration that brings our members together to renew old connections and create new ones.

Member Networking Breakfasts and Receptions
The NJ Chamber’s member breakfasts and evening receptions are pure networking events - no speeches, no presentations, no time wasted – just plenty of uninterrupted time to enjoy the food and drink and to make connections.

Legislative and Business Awards Reception
At this biannual event (odd numbered years), the NJ Chamber recognizes state legislative and business leaders who have demonstrated extraordinary support for the business community. The event attracts power players from Trenton and the private sector.

Women Leaders in Innovation Award Reception
This biannual event (even numbered years) honors New Jersey’s native and adopted daughters who have made significant contributions to the state’s rich history of innovation. The event attracts bevy of leaders from business, technology and higher education.

Cornerstone NJ Events
Exclusive events for our special tier of members comprised of senior executives representing many of the most prestigious companies in the state. Events provide exclusive access to top political, business and thought leaders as well as special behind-the-scenes tours and entertainment events.