Upstate
The 2026 Upstate Power 100
Movers and shakers from Western New York to the North Country.
City & State presents the 2026 Upstate Power 100. United States Senate; Mike Groll, Office of Governor; U.S. Senate
Decades ago, the Western New York politician Joel Giambra described the Buffalo Niagara International Airport as a “runway of tears,” given the exodus of young people fleeing upstate New York for jobs elsewhere.
Today, upstate is building a runway of prosperity.
Micron is anchoring an economic cornerstone with its $100 billion new semiconductor plant outside of Syracuse that is expected to create more than 40,000 direct and indirect jobs. But that’s not all. There is a new federally designated technology corridor connecting Buffalo, Rochester and Syracuse, and tech projects in Albany will bookend the Micron complex. Binghamton has become a center for battery storage, resurrecting the days when IBM and Endicott-Johnson Shoe Company dominated the city’s economy. The cruise industry is coming to Buffalo and a transformative project to expand the city’s light rail to the suburbs is advancing. In the North Country, leaders have saved Plattsburgh’s bus industry and want to show Canada that we are good neighbors.
City & State’s Upstate Power 100 puts a spotlight on the key players behind these projects – and other movers and shakers in New York’s distinctive upstate regions.
1. Kathy Hochul
Downstate issues may take up more of her focus, but there’s no place like home for New York’s first upstate governor in a century. Gov. Kathy Hochul’s upstate agenda includes building a new nuclear plant and a $125 million commitment to the new Affordable Multifamily Program Upstate, or AMP Up, for new housing. In January, Hochul presided over the groundbreaking of the $100 billion new Micron facility outside of Syracuse, touting it as one of her biggest accomplishments. In June, the Buffalo Bills superfan officially opened the NFL team’s new Highmark Stadium in Orchard Park.
2. Chuck Schumer
U.S. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer is fueling the upstate economy, from dairy farms to next-generation tech. In May, Schumer touted up to $1 billion in federal funding, along with another $1 billion IBM investment, for a new entity to operate a 300mm quantum wafer fab at Albany NanoTech, made possible by his 2022 CHIPS and Science Act. He also announced up to $45 million in federal funds for the Binghamton Battery Hub and welcomed federal legislation to serve whole milk in school cafeterias, a boon to the state’s dairy industry.
3. Kirsten Gillibrand
U.S. Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand took on new challenges last year as a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee and leader of the Senate Democrats’ campaign apparatus. She has delivered nearly $20 million for airport infrastructure projects statewide and over $11 million for 18 upstate projects. The former upstate House member also helped reauthorize and expand the Northern Border Regional Commission, a federal-state economic development agency. As Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee chair, Gillibrand is pushing for a majority that could elevate her to chair of the Senate Aging Committee and the Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, and Related Agencies Subcommittee.
4. Harry Bronson, Pamela Hunter & John T. McDonald III
With Assembly Majority Leader Crystal Peoples-Stokes set to retire at the end of the year, there’s widespread speculation about who will replace her as the Assembly Democrats’ No. 2 leader. Three senior Assembly members – Harry Bronson, John T. McDonald III and Pamela Hunter – appear to be the early frontrunners for the job, which has traditionally been reserved for an upstate lawmaker.
Bronson, a Rochester-area politician first elected in 2010, has advanced worker protections as chair of the Labor Committee. Last year, the governor signed his NLRB trigger bill, which empowers the state Public Employment Relations Board to step in and resolve labor disputes when the National Labor Relations Board fails to act, though the NLRB has challenged the state law. He also joined with the Monroe County delegation in delivering the $300 million Rochester-Monroe Transformation Initiative for the region.
McDonald, who has represented his Albany-area district since 2013, is one of the more prolific lawmakers in the Capital Region. The Government Operations Committee chair joined with upstate colleagues to introduce legislation to facilitate commercial-to-residential building conversions in the region. The moderate Democrat supported the new pied-à-terre tax for New York City, but he expressed concerns about expanding it to upstate. He also echoed the governor’s affordability and feasibility concerns regarding the state’s landmark Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act, which was scaled back this year.
Hunter ascended to the role of speaker pro tempore, the chamber’s presiding officer, last year. The Syracuse-area lawmaker has passed insurance reforms, bank overdraft fee protections and changes to a driver’s license suspension program. The U.S. Army veteran, who was first elected in 2015, is the immediate past president of the National Council of Insurance Legislators and chairs the Assembly Women Veterans Subcommittee.
5. Crystal Peoples-Stokes
Assembly Majority Leader Crystal Peoples-Stokes is retiring after making history as the first woman and first Black majority leader in the Assembly. “For more than two decades here in the Assembly, Crystal has been a voice for her community in Buffalo, as well as for communities across our state that have historically been disenfranchised and left behind,” Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie said regarding her retirement. The upstate politician spearheaded the legalization of recreational marijuana, marijuana decriminalization and the expungement of minor marijuana possession offenses. Peoples-Stokes previously was majority leader of the Erie County Legislature.
6. Melinda Person
When Melinda Person ascended to lead New York State United Teachers in 2023, she promised to grow the 700,000-member union’s membership and boost its clout in Albany. Person has since secured a statewide bell-to-bell cellphone ban in schools, a free school meals program and Foundation Aid reforms. This year, she embraced the governor’s universal childcare initiative and a Tier 6 pension overhaul that lowers retirement ages. She also pushed for limits on screen time in the classroom. State teachers reelected her to another three-year term in May.
7. Malik Evans & Sean Ryan
Malik Evans has Rochester on the upswing. Gov. Kathy Hochul is investing $300 million in the broader region via her Rochester-Monroe Transformation Initiative. The program includes $75 million to create High Falls State Park, Rochester’s first state park, and $225 million for investment in Rochester and the surrounding county. Evans has launched a microgrant program to allow neighbors to collaborate on community improvements. Since Evans took office in 2022, the city has also boosted housing, trained enough lifeguards to open all city pools and reduced gun violence to its lowest level in years.
At the start of the year, Buffalo Mayor Sean Ryan traded the state Capitol for Buffalo’s towering City Hall overlooking Niagara Square. Ryan has been tackling many of the problems he inherited, securing $70 million in state aid to close city budget gaps and approving a 19% property tax hike to address structural budget issues. He also launched a new pothole remediation program and a housing rehabilitation program. Amid a federal immigration crackdown, Ryan signed an executive order prohibiting the use of Buffalo Police Department resources for civil immigration enforcement. On the political front, Assembly Member Jonathan Rivera, a Ryan ally, won a key state Senate Democratic primary in June.
8. Mario Cilento
Mario Cilento isn’t afraid to engage in tough battles to protect his members’ livelihoods. The labor leader, who has run the New York State AFL-CIO for a decade and a half, has excoriated President Donald Trump’s trade policy and the administration’s moves to weaken the National Labor Relations Board. Cilento has advocated for higher weekly unemployment benefits and empowering the state Public Employment Relations Board to adjudicate the disputes the NLRB avoided. This year, Cilento helped secure Tier 6 pension reforms in the state budget that will lower the retirement age and benefit contribution rates for 830,000 workers.
9. Samra Brouk, Jeremy Cooney, Patricia Fahy, Michelle Hinchey & Rachel May
State Senate Disabilities Committee Chair Patricia Fahy got off to a strong start in her first term in the state Senate after a dozen years in the Assembly. This year, Fahy secured significant funding for Albany, including $20 million in new aid to stabilize the city’s finances, and passed the New York Fundamental Artificial Intelligence Requirements in News Act, which the governor has yet to sign. Meanwhile, her gun industry liability law was upheld when the U.S. Supreme Court declined to hear a challenge to the legislation. Fahy is also a leading proponent of a proposed statewide pied-à-terre tax.
State Senate Transportation Committee Chair Jeremy Cooney is a policy-focused politician with an ambitious agenda. This year, Cooney helped to pass a 7% increase for upstate public transit funding, an expansion of the work zone speed camera program and an extension of autonomous vehicle testing. The Rochester-area lawmaker supported the $300 million Rochester-Monroe Transformation Initiative, which includes Rochester’s first state park, a new universal childcare program and economic development projects.
State Senate Agriculture Committee Chair Michelle Hinchey has seen 118 of her bills signed into law since joining the Senate five years ago, earning her a distinction as one of Albany’s most effective lawmakers. This year, she passed the AI Labor Information Act, first-in-the-nation legislation that would track the impact of artificial intelligence on job elimination if signed by the governor. She also secured funding for a green social housing pilot in Ulster County.
State Senate Consumer Protection Committee Chair Rachel May broke from the Syracuse political establishment this year and endorsed Onondaga County Legislator Maurice “Mo” Brown in his successful primary bid to unseat veteran Assembly Member William Magnarelli. In Albany, May advanced legislation targeting surveillance pricing and delivered increased aid for Syracuse.
State Senate Mental Health Committee Chair Samra Brouk was part of the legislative push that delivered increased funding to Rochester, including the $300 million Rochester-Monroe Transformation Initiative and targeted funding for childcare and transportation. Brouk supports a statewide implementation plan for Daniel’s Law, which will create nonpolice methods to address mental health crises.
10. Ray Halbritter
Ray Halbritter has established the Oneida Indian Nation as a leader in New York’s casino, tourism and hospitality industries, and a major economic development force upstate. Halbritter has led the expansion of the nation’s Turning Stone Resort Casino outside of Utica, including the $400 million Turning Stone Evolution project that has doubled the resort’s conference capacity and made it the state’s largest convention resort. The resort’s new hotel and restaurant opened earlier this month, and the expanded convention center will be open by Labor Day.
11. Dorcey Applyrs & Sharon Owens
Dorcey Applyrs took office this year as Albany’s first Black mayor and dove into her agenda. She has amended the city’s inclusionary zoning ordinance to spur housing development, created the Office of Violence Prevention and launched a nightlife economy council while also making it easier to access summer youth programming. Applyrs, who has made community engagement a priority, was chief city auditor before being elected mayor.
Sharon Owens wants Syracuse to have a “Micron moment” by helping low-wage workers access workforce development programs to secure higher paying jobs at Micron’s new semiconductor plant. She successfully lobbied in Albany this year to get $20 million in additional state aid to balance the city budget. Owens is also targeting “bad corner stores” that she says move into food deserts and overcharge residents. Owens, a former deputy mayor, is the first Black mayor of Syracuse.
12. Justin Driscoll
Justin Driscoll plays a key role in meeting New York’s rising energy needs. The New York Power Authority executive is leading Gov. Kathy Hochul’s plan to develop at least 1 gigawatt of nuclear power. In June, Driscoll celebrated the completion of a 100-mile transmission project with National Grid, delivering an estimated $438 million in savings to ratepayers annually. He has contended with a federal administration hostile to offshore wind and testified before state lawmakers about state efforts to keep energy affordable. NYPA’s energy facilities already have 6,000 megawatts of capacity.
13. Heather Mulligan
For years, Heather Mulligan has been looking out for the interests of New York’s private sector employers and targeting the state’s high costs and strict regulations. This year, the Business Council of New York State leader was a key voice for passing major State Environmental Quality Review Act reforms to expedite new housing, revising auto insurance laws and slowing down the implementation of the state’s climate law. Mulligan also helped block a bill that would have charged companies for plastic waste and fended off a significant corporate tax hike, although lawmakers extended the top corporate tax rate through 2029.
14. Terry Pegula
The Buffalo Bills fell agonizingly short in the playoffs earlier this year, but owner Terry Pegula has the only New York-based NFL team on an upswing. After Gov. Kathy Hochul delivered $850 million of state and local public subsidies for a new stadium in 2022, Pegula and state officials celebrated the ribbon-cutting ceremony for the $2.1 billion Highmark Stadium this summer. The new stadium boasts the world’s largest snowmelting system, essential for a city that gets an average of 95 inches of snow per year. The franchise recently hired a new coach, Joe Brady, who will try to get the Bills over the hump.
15. Nick Langworthy, Elise Stefanik & Claudia Tenney
Rep. Nick Langworthy is honing his policy chops after earning a reputation as a political operator, most notably as a former state Republican Party chair. He bucked House GOP leaders in Washington, D.C., to protect national pilot testing requirements put in place after the 2009 airplane crash in the Buffalo suburb of Clarence Center. He also helped to pass the Give Kids a Chance Act, which speeds up pediatric cancer drug testing. He serves on the powerful Rules Committee and Energy and Commerce Committee and is a vice chair of the National Republican Congressional Committee.
As Langworthy makes a name for himself in Washington, D.C., Rep. Elise Stefanik’s roller coaster ride is coming to an end. The North Country Republican is retiring this year after her nomination as U.S. ambassador to the United Nations was pulled by President Donald Trump. She returned to the House Republican leadership in a newly created role. However, she pulled the plug on her promising gubernatorial campaign when Trump declined to endorse her – and she opted not to even seek reelection. In Congress, Stefanik toppled three Ivy League presidents from her perch on the Education and the Workforce Committee. Her new book has kept her in the media spotlight, and she hasn’t ruled out running for office again.
Rep. Claudia Tenney is going to war with Canada. The Finger Lakes Republican, whose district includes the Finger Lakes wine region, has introduced the Combating Attacks on our National Alcoholic Drinks by Allies Act – or the CANADA Act – which would require a federal investigation into Canadian provinces banning the sale of U.S. alcohol in response to President Donald Trump’s tariffs. She also wants Gov. Kathy Hochul to apply for federal funding to secure the border with Canada. Tenney serves on the influential Ways and Means Committee and the Intelligence Committee.
16. Jerry Jacobs Jr.
Jerry Jacobs Jr. is continuing the Jacobs family tradition of civic leadership in Buffalo. Jacobs was appointed chair of the University at Buffalo Council last year, succeeding his father, Jeremy Jacobs. He then plunged into the work of chairing the search committee for UB’s 16th president. (His father chaired past search committees for school presidents.) The latest search identified Tufts University Provost Caroline Attardo Genco, a Buffalo native who will become UB’s first female president in August. Jacobs shares the Delaware North CEO title with two brothers and is an alternate governor of the family-owned Boston Bruins.
17. Havidán Rodríguez
In the nine years that he has led the University at Albany, Havidán Rodríguez has made the SUNY institution a destination for public service and cutting-edge scientific research. Rodríguez launched the College of Nanotechnology, Science and Engineering in 2023, created four-year nursing programs and led the AI Plus initiative, which utilizes Nvidia supercomputing technology. He also formed a partnership with the Ramaiah Institute of Science and Management in India. This year, UAlbany purchased Centennial Hall, a former College of Saint Rose residential building, for $12 million to expand student housing.
18. JC Seneca
JC Seneca achieved a major win for the Seneca Nation this year, with the federal government approving their takeover of over 200 acres of undeveloped ancestral land on Grand Island, a Buffalo suburb. Seneca, the nation’s leader, said no final decision has been made for the land but possibilities include a sports entertainment center or something related to lacrosse. He said a casino is unlikely, since Grand Island sits roughly midway between the nation’s existing casinos in Buffalo and Niagara Falls. Grand Island officials filed a lawsuit opposing the gift.
19. April Baskin, Christopher Ryan & Lea Webb
State Senate Women’s Issues Committee Chair Lea Webb is leading on reproductive rights, maternal health and healthcare. Her legislation to make law enforcement officers conduct a lethality assessment when responding to incidents of domestic violence passed both houses earlier this year. The Southern Tier lawmaker also sponsored bills that would keep chemicals out of personal care products and cosmetics, improve access to public lactation rooms and joined the push for a one-year data center moratorium.
State Sen. April Baskin may be in her first term, but she’s gaining power. In January, Baskin gave up her post chairing the Senate Procurement and Contracts Committee to succeed now-Buffalo Mayor Sean Ryan at the helm of the Senate Commerce, Economic Development and Small Business Committee. Baskin, who previously was chair of the Erie County Legislature, passed state measures to require cardiac emergency plans in schools and expand organ transplant access.
State Senate Cities 2 Committee Chair Christopher Ryan has had an active first term representing Central New York. The former labor leader advanced a swath of legislation on issues ranging from veterans to 911 dispatchers to small businesses. This includes anti-swatting protections and emergency communications professionals retirement reform. Ryan has urged a delay in the state’s electric school bus mandate, citing affordability concerns.
20. Jonathan Rivera
Assembly Member Jonathan Rivera knocked out his rival in a David vs. Goliath battle. The Buffalo progressive toppled state Sen. Jeremy Zellner, the powerful Erie County Democratic Committee chair, just months after Zellner was selected by party insiders and defeated a Republican opponent in a special election. Rivera, who’s now running uncontested in the general election, assembled a broad labor coalition on his way to defeating Zellner by a stunning 10-point margin. Rivera’s legislative accomplishments in the Assembly include securing $250,000 for a bilingual educator pipeline program at Buffalo State University.
21. Sanjay Mehrotra
The $100 billion manufacturing facility for Micron Technology outside of Syracuse took a major step forward in January with the groundbreaking of the game-changing economic development project. Micron Chair, President and CEO Sanjay Mehrotra predicts semiconductor chips will start being manufactured at the new facility in four years. The project is projected to create 9,000 direct jobs over 20 years. Mehrotra has praised Syracuse University’s semiconductor programs, including the school’s Center for Advanced Semiconductor Manufacturing and a workforce development initiative to help military veterans enter the industry.
22. Tom Golisano
Tom Golisano never got to be New York’s governor, but he’s having a huge impact as upstate’s leading philanthropist. The Rochester businessperson launched the Golisano Children’s Alliance last year, funding 15 children’s hospitals nationally and distributing $528 million to expand pediatric care. Among them are the Golisano Children’s Hospital of Buffalo, the Golisano Children’s Hospital at the University of Rochester Medical Center and the Upstate Golisano Children’s Hospital at SUNY Upstate Medical University. He also launched the Golisano Institute for Business & Entrepreneurship in Rochester and Buffalo to expand workforce development.
23. Tim Kennedy, John Mannion, Joseph Morelle, Josh Riley & Paul Tonko
Rep. Joseph Morelle is in the middle of the biggest political fights in New York and nationally. The Rochester lawmaker is leading the Democratic charge against President Donald Trump’s SAVE America Act, which would require national voter identification and proof of citizenship to register to vote. Morelle, who previously was majority leader of the Assembly, is also House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries’ point person on New York’s congressional redistricting, which is determined at the state level. Morelle is the ranking member of the House Administration Committee, an appointment made directly by Jeffries, and serves on the powerful Appropriations Committee.
Rep. Paul Tonko is continuing his long-standing work on energy and environmental policy. Tonko is leading on several bills covering offshore wind energy, air quality in schools and rising energy costs. The Capital Region lawmaker is the top Democrat on the Environment Subcommittee on the powerful Energy and Commerce Committee.
Rep. Tim Kennedy was a prominent state senator in Albany, and he’s quickly becoming influential in Washington, D.C. He is forming relationships with congressional leaders, introducing more legislation as a first-term lawmaker than his predecessors in the Western New York district and remains a prodigious fundraiser. Kennedy serves on the Homeland Security Committee and Veterans Affairs Committee but may be seeking a seat on the powerful tax-writing Ways and Means Committee.
As Rep. John Mannion seeks a second term in Washington, D.C., he is easily outraising his Republican opponent. He has introduced legislation to provide grants to help members of the military and their spouses transition to civilian employment. He has questioned why a Syracuse poll worker received a letter from immigration officials regarding her social media posts.
First-term Rep. Josh Riley represents a sprawling swing district stretching from the Massachusetts border to Binghamton and Ithaca. He has introduced legislation to extend farmworker visas from seasonal to year-round, which would benefit New York’s dairy and apple farms. He also introduced a wide-ranging anti-corruption legislative package.
24. René F. Jones
Since becoming M&T Bank’s CEO in 2017, René F. Jones has made the Buffalo-based financial institution a powerhouse, boasting more than $200 billion in assets and nearly 1,000 branches across 13 states. Jones hasn’t been as eager to pursue mergers as some competitors, instead focusing on technology upgrades and community ties – such as the $15.4 million it invested in upstate communities last year. M&T Bank also became a founding partner of Centerstate CEO’s Inspyre Innovation Hub, a business accelerator, and secured the naming rights for Schenectady’s multipurpose arena, which opened last year.
25. Satish Tripathi
Satish Tripathi has transformed the University at Buffalo and the broader region since arriving as UB’s provost in 2004. Tripathi is wrapping up 15 years as the university’s 15th president this summer. Highlights of Tripathi’s tenure include moving the university’s Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences to downtown Buffalo, earning a designation for UB as a SUNY flagship and being selected as the home of Empire AI, the state’s new artificial intelligence consortium. Tripathi plans to teach at UB after handing the presidency over to Caroline Attardo Genco in August.
26. Mark Poloncarz
Erie County Executive Mark Poloncarz has been a countywide official for over two decades, serving two terms as Erie County comptroller before his historic four-term run as county executive. Poloncarz took over as comptroller during Erie County’s fiscal crisis, but today the population is growing, unemployment is at an all-time low and the Buffalo Bills just opened a new stadium thanks in part to Poloncarz. He is backing Deputy County Executive Lisa Chimera as his successor, although some of his recent endorsements haven’t panned out. Poloncarz is the incoming chair of the National Democratic County Officials.
27. Frederick Kowal
Frederick Kowal has always fought to ensure New York’s higher education and healthcare workers receive fair compensation, even as universities and public hospitals face financial turmoil. After five months of negotiations, the United University Professions union leader and SUNY Cobleskill professor secured a five-year contract in June for 42,000 SUNY faculty and professional employees that eliminated co-pays and reduced the use of out-of-network providers. Kowal also demanded $50 million from the state for four distressed SUNY campuses this year and helped free a UUP member detained by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement in Batavia.
28. Jack O’Donnell
Jack O’Donnell delivers for a clientele that reads like a who’s who of upstate. O’Donnell has secured higher education funding in Western New York, rate increases for nonprofit organizations in the Finger Lakes, multimillion-dollar procurements in Central New York, and tourism and cultural spending in the Southern Tier. His clients include Delaware North, M&T Bank, Paychex and Trillium Health. O’Donnell has also expanded the firm’s reach with offices in New York City and Washington, D.C., and has the firm steadily climbing the ranks of the state’s top lobbying shops.
Editor’s note: Jack O’Donnell is a member of City & State’s advisory board.
29. Didi Barrett, Anna Kelles, Karen McMahon, Angelo Santabarbara, Phil Steck, Al Stirpe & Carrie Woerner
Assembly Energy Committee Chair Didi Barrett recently passed legislation imposing a one-year moratorium on data centers, whose energy demands are substantial. The Hudson Valley lawmaker also got her Accelerate Solar for Affordable Power Act, or the ASAP Act, incorporated into the state budget, along with $1 million for Dutchess Community College to expand childcare.
Economic Development, Job Creation, Commerce and Industry Committee Chair Al Stirpe sponsored a tax credit measure that facilitated the $100 billion Micron project in Central New York. He also spearheaded liquor law reforms, including a 2025 measure legalizing direct-to-consumer shipping of craft distilled spirits and allowing bars and restaurants to buy liquor from other retailers.
Racing and Wagering Committee Chair Carrie Woerner is monitoring a dramatic expansion of casino gambling. The Saratoga Springs legislator welcomed the approval of new New York City casinos, saying they’ll create jobs. She also introduced legislation to ban prop bets in sports betting, such as wagers on a player’s number of points.
Ethics and Guidance Committee Chair Karen McMahon passed legislation to increase the volunteer firefighter and emergency medical services tax credit program to address volunteer shortages. She also urged Gov. Kathy Hochul to address a childcare funding gap in Erie County.
People with Disabilities Committee Chair Angelo Santabarbara joined labor unions to call for cost-of-living increases and raises for direct care workers who work with people with disabilities. The Rotterdam lawmaker has raised concerns about a Trump administration memo considered a risk to continued funding for people with disabilities.
Alcoholism and Drug Abuse Committee Chair Phil Steck’s bill banning synthetic kratom passed unanimously in the Assembly and will be sent to the governor. Last year, the governor signed another Steck bill regulating kratom, an herbal supplement critics say poses a health risk. Steck’s district covers several Albany suburbs.
Assembly Member Anna Kelles of Ithaca got language from three of her data center bills into successful omnibus data center legislation. She passed legislation to require food manufacturers to disclose food safety research methods and require polluters to disclose if discharges into waterways contain PFAS chemicals. Kelles chairs the Legislative Rural Resources Commission.
30. Sarah Mangelsdorf
Since becoming the University of Rochester’s first woman president in 2019, Sarah Mangelsdorf has sought to broaden its student body with more first-generation students, diversify its faculty, and expand and modernize its medical center that serves the Western New York region. She was unanimously reappointed to another five-year term in 2024 after deftly guiding the school through the COVID-19 crisis and bringing in nearly $350 million in donations. Counting the 26,000-employee University of Rochester Medical Center, the school is upstate’s largest private sector employer.
31. David O’Rourke
Horse racing may be one the nation’s most nostalgia-driven sports, but David O’Rourke has steered state thoroughbred competitions into the 21st century. The New York Racing Association president is overseeing Belmont Park’s $455 million reconstruction, which includes a renovated track and winterized grandstand allowing racing nearly year-round, while ending racing at Aqueduct Race Track in Queens, making way for Resorts World New York City’s downstate casino expansion. Meanwhile, NYRA’s Saratoga Race Course, which hosted the Belmont Stakes this year for the final time, saw paid attendance surpass 1 million for a 10th straight year in 2025.
32. Adam Bello, Daniel McCoy & Ryan McMahon
Monroe County Executive Adam Bello is raking in historic state investments. Gov. Kathy Hochul’s Rochester-Monroe Transformation Initiative will bring $300 million to Rochester and Monroe County, funding the creation of High Falls State Park, the first state park in the city. Hochul also picked Monroe County as one of three pilot sites for her universal childcare program for children age 3 and under. Food assistance and a new Vision Zero traffic safety initiative are on Bello’s agenda as well.
The Micron semiconductor plant being built outside Syracuse is dominating Onondaga County Executive Ryan McMahon’s agenda. He is investing in infrastructure to support the plant and expected community growth, including lead reduction efforts countywide. He has made public health, mental health and senior services priorities. He recently appointed former Oswego Mayor Billy Barlow, who presided over an economic renaissance in that city, as deputy county executive for economic development.
Affordability and job creation are among Daniel McCoy’s top priorities in Albany County. He has spearheaded new affordable housing programs and assistance in first home purchases. He also warned of the local impact of the federal One Big Beautiful Bill Act and has set aside county funds to address food insecurity. McCoy, who took office in 2012, reported creating or retaining 1,185 jobs last year. He has also launched homeless services programs and a street psychiatry program.
33. Michael Kotlikoff
Michael Kotlikoff has kept Cornell University near the top of the rankings since he took over as interim president in 2024. The biomedical science scholar has taught at the Ivy League institution since 2000 and was previously its provost. Kotlikoff has contended with students protesting the school’s academic ties to Technion – Israel Institute of Technology during Israel’s war in Gaza. Cornell students said he backed his car into one of them and ran over the foot of another in May, but Kotlikoff said they surrounded him and school trustees backed him.
34. Stephen Acquario
New York’s 62 counties are wildly diverse, but Stephen Acquario has found common ground championing their needs in Albany for more than two decades. The local government advocate helped advance a funding cap on Medicaid, internet sales tax collections and pension reforms. After federal cuts to Medicaid last year and amid changes to make Tier 6 pensions more generous, Acquario pushed for more state funding to help counties balance their budgets. Now, Acquario is helping counties navigate SNAP benefits as the federal government places a heavier administrative burden on county governments.
35. Michael DiGiacomo
Michael DiGiacomo has earned headlines for prosecuting crimes, unlike several scandal-plagued colleagues. The former assistant U.S. attorney, who was appointed as interim U.S. Attorney for the Western District of New York in early 2025, was not confirmed by the U.S. Senate but was granted permanent status by the district’s chief judge. DiGiacomo has charged students accused of committing money laundering and elder fraud, while also winning a conviction against a Binghamton man operating a heroin and cocaine trafficking operation. This year, DiGiacomo warned against Ponzi schemes and romance scams.
36. Mantosh Dewan
Dr. Mantosh Dewan steadied SUNY Upstate Medical University through the COVID-19 pandemic. Since his appointment in 2018, initially in an interim role, Dewan has increased revenues by $1 billion and added 2,700 jobs at SUNY Upstate, the largest employer in Central New York. Last year, Dewan led work on a $450 million annex for its emergency department and a new outpatient facility outside Syracuse. This spring, SUNY Upstate launched an initiative with Cayuga Community College to broaden the pool of nurses.
37. Byron Brown
Byron Brown found his landing spot at the Western Regional Off-Track Betting Corp. in 2024 after serving nearly two decades as Buffalo’s mayor. Last year, Brown oversaw $13 billion in revenue, a 15% jump in visitors and the implementation of new ethics rules. Early this year, Brown became chair of the New York Gaming Association. A measure in the latest state budget prohibits Brown’s predecessor, Henry Wojtaszek, from joining the OTB board. This summer, Brown reported that the OTB brought in over $2 million in vendor fees for the first half of 2026.
38. Marianne Buttenschon, Donna Lupardo & William Magnarelli
In Albany, some lawmakers ride off into the sunset, and some go down with a fight. Assembly Transportation Committee Chair William Magnarelli battled to the end, but he was narrowly defeated in a June primary by Onondaga County Legislator Maurice “Mo” Brown, who was backed by the Syracuse chapter of the Democratic Socialists of America. Among Magnarelli’s accomplishments in his final legislative session were increased funding for infrastructure and public transportation as well as charter bus safety and work zone safety measures. He also obtained funding for SUNY Upstate Medical University’s new building and the CNY Regional Market.
Agriculture Committee Chair Donna Lupardo, who chose to retire this year, spent her final year supporting New York’s farmers. She doubled the tax credit for farmer donations to food pantries to 50% of the fair market value. Lupardo also secured funding for farmer tariff relief and increased spending for the Dairy Farm Modernization Grant program. With federal funding cuts to the Cornell University College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Lupardo secured state funds for the school.
Small Business Committee Chair Marianne Buttenschon is leaving office on a high note. She passed 52 sponsored or co-sponsored bills this year and brought in over $23 million in funding to her district. She hosted over 500 meetings with advocates and stakeholders this year alone and attends over 1,000 events annually. She has organized an annual Mohawk Valley farm tour to bring together legislators, state officials and local leaders to tour farms and learn directly from farms about issues impacting the agriculture industry.
39. Beth Finkel
For more than 30 years, Beth Finkel has ensured state officials won’t overlook one of the state’s fastest-growing demographics. The AARP New York state director recently urged lawmakers to boost funding for a network of community-based services to enhance home care and nutrition programs in the state’s Master Plan for Aging. Finkel also sought to protect seniors from predatory business practices by supporting a bill to limit the use of surveillance pricing, which passed in both houses, and helped make streets safer for seniors by supporting a budget measure to restrict the vehicle speeds of reckless drivers.
40. Melissa Fleischut
As New York’s restaurants have grappled with contraction during the COVID-19 pandemic, rising insurance premiums, higher labor costs and immigration raids, Melissa Fleischut has sought to ease the pressure by tackling regulations and costs hindering their operations. The New York State Restaurant Association leader pushed for a law the governor signed in 2025 allowing bars and restaurants to purchase small amounts of alcohol from liquor stores and secured state oversight of wholesaler fees. This year, Fleischut won expanded operating hours for bars and outdoor spaces ahead of the World Cup, taking advantage of the tourism windfall.
41. Kimberley Minkel
Kimberley Minkel is making history and improving mobility for Western New Yorkers. Minkel recently presided over the opening of the new DL&W Station, marking the first expansion of Buffalo’s Metro Rail since it opened in the 1980s. The new station provides direct access to Buffalo’s Canalside and Cobblestone entertainment districts. This spring, the federal government issued an environmental impact statement allowing for expansion of Metro Rail to the suburbs. NFTA recently obtained federal funding to change its airport shuttle bus fleet to electric vehicles.
42. Clint Halftown
Clint Halftown is focused on bringing jobs and economic growth to the Cayuga Nation, one of the five original groups of the Iroquois Confederacy. Halftown has focused developing a diverse portfolio of businesses for Cayuga Nation Enterprises and reclaiming lands in and around its home in the Finger Lakes region. Halftown is pursuing a lawsuit against the state Liquor Authority after it denied liquor licenses for planned stores owned by the nation’s business arm. The nation has received federal approval to sell alcohol, but is required to receive a state license too.
43. Richard “Chip” Davis
Rochester Regional Health lured Richard Davis home from the Midwest after conducting a national CEO search in 2022. Since then, the Finger Lakes native has focused on improving the health system’s financial stability and growth, investing $20 million toward expanding a Lipson Cancer Institute oncology unit and adding an outpatient imaging facility. Davis also spearheaded the growth of GenoWell, a no-cost genetic screening initiative, and established a peace officer program for workplace safety at the health system, which has 20,000 employees and serves more than 1.6 million people.
44. Michael Galime & Jared Kraham
Jared Kraham is remaking Binghamton one block at a time. Kraham has kicked off his second term with an ambitious agenda: remaking the Clinton Street neighborhood with a $10 million state grant; revitalizing the blighted and abandoned Binghamton Plaza; investing $10.8 million to upgrade city streets; and fixing up Mirabito Stadium. Kraham’s first term was marked by a drop in crime, renewed investment and redevelopment planning. With the Republican term-limited in 2029, the question is, what’s next for the 34-year-old?
Michael Galime is pushing forward with his agenda for Utica. Utica recently received a $4.5 million state grant for the redevelopment of the Uptown District, with the goal of making it a thriving arts, culture and culinary scene. Galime broke ground last year on a restoration of the local ski center and appointed a former aide to Rep. Elise Stefanik as his new chief of staff this year. Galime is feuding with the city’s elected comptroller over accounting practices and recently saw the Utica Common Council override his veto of a flag raising ordinance.
45. Daniel T. Pickett III
Daniel T. Pickett III has brought changes to healthcare in the Capital Region since taking over Albany Med Health System in December. This spring, he launched First Choice 2030, a systemwide vision to improve patient safety and quality and expand access to care. Pickett promoted Albany Medical Center General Director Jason Mouzakes to serve as its new president in a leadership shakeup. The system, which also includes Albany Medical College, Columbia Memorial Health, Glens Falls Hospital and Saratoga Hospital, is the largest employer in the Albany area, with over 16,000 employees.
46. Donald Boyd
After serving in various roles at Kaleida Health for 25 years, Donald Boyd was named CEO in 2022 and is steering the Western New York healthcare system through its next chapter. Boyd first tackled Kaleida’s COVID-era deficits by increasing its outpatient surgery and patient volume to boost revenues. This year, he launched the enterprisewide use of Epic electronic health records, acquired Bradford Regional Medical Center and extended Kaleida’s partnership with the Buffalo Bills. The health system now encompasses four Western New York hospitals, two Buffalo-area ambulatory surgical centers and other healthcare facilities.
47. Joyce Markiewicz
Joyce Markiewicz’s three-decade career as a registered nurse and home healthcare leader has prepared her to ensure Catholic Health meets its patients’ needs. Since her appointment as Catholic Health's first woman president and CEO in 2023, Markiewicz has pursued physician partnerships, modernized the system’s digital capabilities and spearheaded a Community Health Needs Assessment for the region. Last fall, she successfully averted a strike at three medical centers by negotiating with 2,800 workers for new four-year contracts worth an additional $100 million.
48. Andrew Davis
Andrew Davis officially took over as president and CEO of the Erie County Medical Center this year, after serving as its chief operating officer under Thomas Quatroche Jr. for more than eight years. Since joining ECMC, Davis has achieved over $100 million in capital improvements on its 65-acre campus, including the opening of its emergency department and trauma center, a new hospital entrance and upgrades to its exterior facade. The experienced healthcare executive recently established an Epic electronic medical record system, and installed the Symani Surgical System, which uses robotic technology to perform complex microsurgery tasks.
49. Colleen Wegman
From New England to Virginia, people can’t stop talking about Wegmans. The beloved Rochester-based family business, which has 114 stores, is run by Colleen Wegman. She brought in $14.3 billion in sales last year and maintained the company’s status as a top place to work. The community-focused business, which made $96.3 million in corporate gifts last year, recently launched a partnership with the University of Rochester to sell Wegmans’ prepared meals on campus, while a Hamburg Wegmans was the exclusive location to buy seats and benches from the old Buffalo Bills stadium.
50. Thomas Quatroche Jr.
Thomas Quatroche Jr. overhauled Erie County Medical Center’s patient care centers and opened a Level I regional trauma center during his two-decade tenure as a hospital executive. But when Healthcare Association of New York State President and CEO Bea Grause announced her retirement, Quatroche embraced the challenge of advocating for nonprofit and public hospitals, health systems as well as post-acute and continuing care providers throughout the state. Since taking the reins at HANYS this year, Quatroche has helped hospitals navigate federal funding cuts from the One Big Beautiful Bill Act and other challenges facing the sector.
51. Juanita Lewis
Juanita Lewis has been at Community Voices Heard since 2009, training hundreds of women nationwide before becoming the progressive nonprofit’s executive director in 2021. The Newburgh-based organizer helped secure eviction protections for tenants in upstate communities, advocated for the expansion of the Emergency Tenant Protection Act and led demonstrations against federal cuts to SNAP and other benefit programs. Lewis also ran the Follow Black Women project, which surveyed 5,000 women of color statewide to set CVH’s future policy priorities.
52. Ashley Ranslow
New York’s small, independent businesses have a wide variety of needs, and Ashley Ranslow has ensured the concerns of 11,000 of them are heard in Albany. Since she became the National Federation of Independent Business’ New York state director in 2022, Ranslow has helped convince the Hochul administration to pay off billions of dollars in unemployment insurance debt and secured the governor’s veto of a beneficial ownership disclosure bill. She added more wins for her members in this year’s budget, including auto insurance premium reductions and State Environmental Quality Review Act revisions.
53. Ron Ferri
Ron Ferri is positioning Tops Friendly Markets as a top supermarket chain in New York, Pennsylvania and Vermont. Ferri joined the company as a produce clerk in 1989 and rose through the ranks to become president in 2023, overseeing 147 Tops stores and 60 gas stations. Tops became the official grocer of the Buffalo Sabres in 2024, raising its visibility. Ferri was recently elected vice chair of the Buffalo Niagara Partnership and he also serves on the boards of Invest Buffalo Niagara and the Children’s Hospital of Buffalo Foundation.
54. Garry Douglas, Robert Duffy, Mark Eagan, Grant Loomis & Robert Simpson
Former Lt. Gov. Robert Duffy is an economic powerhouse in Rochester and the Finger Lakes. During this year’s legislative session, he played a role in advancing business-friendly changes to the state’s climate law and environmental review procedures. Duffy, a former Rochester mayor, also advocated for the $300 million Rochester-Monroe Transformation Initiative and chaired the corporation that oversaw the construction of the newly opened Highmark Stadium for the Buffalo Bills.
Garry Douglas is a vocal advocate for the North Country. He has touted the growing Micro Bird bus company in Plattsburgh, which relocated to the city in 2023 after Nova Bus ended bus production. In light of increased political tensions between the U.S. and Canada, Douglas launched a campaign to highlight the ties between the two countries.
Robert Simpson is back at the helm of CenterState CEO in Syracuse after a three-month sabbatical last year. It’s been a busy few years for the Syracuse economic community, with a $100 billion Micron semiconductor plant coming to the region. The game-changing project broke ground earlier this year. After returning from his sabbatical, Simpson presided over a leadership reorganization, with Ben Sio taking over the presidency while Simpson retained the CEO job.
Mark Eagan is helping the Albany region get in on the growing semiconductor industry. The Center for Economic Growth, which Eagan runs, launched the Semiconductor Growth Access Program, which focuses on the region’s supply chain and helping small businesses enter the industry. The center is leading implementation of a new workforce development training center focusing on manufacturing.
Grant Loomis succeeded Dottie Gallagher as president and CEO of the Buffalo Niagara Partnership this summer after serving in other roles in the Western New York business group. Loomis previously handled government affairs for the organization. Loomis was communications director for former Rep. Chris Collins, when Collins was in Congress and Erie County executive. Loomis’ new role comes as the business group takes on a key role as co-convener of NY SMART I-Corridor, a regional semiconductor industry initiative.
55. Anne D’Alleva
Anne D’Alleva has spent most of the past few months just listening. D’Alleva assumed the presidency of Binghamton University in November and immediately launched a “Listening to Lead” tour, holding conversations with 1,000 people over 44 days. She plans to unveil a new strategic plan by the university’s 80th anniversary this fall. D’Alleva said preliminary goals for the plan include strengthening research, transforming graduate education, expanding a commitment to diversity, improving the school’s social and economic impact, advancing common good and including the university in important higher education conversations nationally.
56. Brian Butler
Brian Butler is known well beyond the Syracuse area for helping executives and board leaders assess risk, set legal strategy to their organizational goals and make sound decisions. The 26-year veteran was elected Bond, Schoeneck & King’s management committee chair in 2023, putting him in position to oversee more than 300 attorneys across 14 offices. Under Butler’s leadership, the firm made $9 million more in revenue last year than it did in 2024, and it also hired its first chief people officer last year.
57. Connie Cahill
When towns, schools or local development corporations need tax-exempt bonds to finance their capital projects, they call Connie Cahill. The bond attorney has led Barclay Damon’s public finance practice since 2021 and has been a member of its management committee for 16 years. Cahill has represented more than 100 municipalities and school districts, developing creative financing solutions by working with the Dormitory Authority of the State of New York and the state Environmental Facilities Corp. This year, Cahill doubled Barclay Damon’s office footprint at Rockefeller Center and expanded its offices in Boston and New Haven, Connecticut.
58. Rob Ortt
State Senate Minority Leader Rob Ortt is the top upstate Republican in state government. This year, Ortt saw several priorities – passing a no tax on tips measure, delaying an electric bus mandate and rolling back state climate deadlines – come to fruition. However, Ortt was opposed to a one-year moratorium on data centers imposed by Gov. Kathy Hochul’s executive order. Back home in Niagara County, Ortt called for a state investigation into the closure of a Lockport company and focused on contaminated soil issues on Niagara Falls’ Cayuga Island.
59. Jeremy Zellner
It’s been a mixed year for Jeremy Zellner. In February, the Erie County Democratic Committee chair joined the state Senate following his easy special election victory. But he’ll be out of that job at the end of the year, as Assembly Member Jonathan Rivera trounced Zellner with a double-digit margin of victory in the June Democratic primary. While Zellner retains his role as the top Democrat in Erie County, some observers suggest he may face a reelection challenge in September. He chairs the state Senate Procurement and Contracts Committee and passed eight bills.
60. Christopher Jagel
Christopher Jagel executed one of the Northeast’s biggest legal mergers early last year when the Rochester-based firm Harris Beach joined forces with Connecticut-based Murtha Cullina to create Harris Beach Murtha. Jagel, who became CEO of Harris Beach in 2017, took the reins of the combined firm, which counts more than 250 attorneys across 17 offices in four states and in Washington, D.C. Jagel primarily guides strategy and advises Fortune 100 clients on commercial transactions, banking and commercial financing matters. This year, the award-winning Harris Beach Murtha is marking its 170th anniversary.
61. Miguel Meléndez Jr.
Rochester City Council President Miguel Meléndez Jr. has made reducing homelessness a top policy priority. Earlier this year, Meléndez released a 390-page report on the subject, the product of six months of research. Among his recommendations were a housing-first agenda with expanded intergovernmental and public-private partnerships, tiny home construction, new shelters for young people and a citywide emergency housing declaration. Meléndez is responding to a Trump administration lawsuit against Rochester’s sanctuary city policy. He’s also chief community engagement officer at Ibero-American Action League.
62. Joel Feroleto, Kelly Kimbrough & Rita Paniagua
Joel Feroleto became the new leader of the Buffalo Common Council earlier this year. Feroleto has pledged cooperation with new Mayor Sean Ryan, but stressed that the council is independent, as evidenced by its negotiating Ryan’s proposed 25% tax hike down to 19%. Feroleto, who’s also of counsel at the personal injury firm Feroleto Law, hails from a prominent North Buffalo political family: His mother is state Supreme Court Justice Paula Feroleto and his brother is Buffalo City Court Judge John Feroleto.
Rita Paniagua is the new president of the Syracuse Common Council. Paniagua took office this year and quickly put her own stamp on the legislative body’s leadership with a committee chair reshuffle and revamping the committee structure for the first time in decades. She has made housing policy a key part of her platform, calling for better cooperation between city government and the housing sector. She has been a supporter of “good cause” eviction legislation, which has not advanced in Syracuse. She’s also the founder of the senior social club Buena Vida and operator of the consulting firm Cross Cultural Strategies.
Kelly Kimbrough took over as president of the Albany Common Council in January. Kimbrough campaigned on a housing platform, backing increased housing infill and support for smaller developers. He also wants neighborhoods involved in formulating housing strategy. Kimbrough is a former police officer in Albany.
63. Peter Nwosu
Peter Nwosu arrived at SUNY Oswego in 2023 with a mission to expand access and support economic mobility. The former Lehman College provost and senior vice president launched Vision 4040 at SUNY Oswego to enroll more students and fill tech jobs in the region. Nwosu chairs the Oswego County Micron Strategy Steering Committee and secured a $1 million grant from Micron for workforce development. He also serves on the CenterState CEO board of directors and the state’s Central New York Regional Economic Development Council, and he was recently named to the Educational Credit Management Corp. Foundation’s Presidents’ Leadership Council.
64. Tricia Asaro & Doreen U. Saia
Tricia Asaro and Doreen U. Saia are key names to know in Albany government affairs. Asaro, the co-chair of Greenberg Traurig’s Health Care & FDA Practice and administrative shareholder of the firm’s Albany office, specializes in healthcare, insurance and government law and policy. She has guided multibillion-dollar mergers and acquisitions, representing EmblemHealth in its sale of ConnectiCare to Molina Healthcare and MVP Health Care in its proposed affiliation with Independent Health. Asaro recently became vice chair of the American Bar Association’s Managed Care and Insurance Interest Group. Saia, who chairs the Albany office’s Energy & Natural Resources Practice, specializes in energy and utility issues and has played a key role in developing the structures and rules governing the energy grid in New York. She works closely with clients in navigating state regulatory practices to meet the state’s energy transition goals.
65. Kevin Cross
Kevin Cross credits his advocacy for his parents, both of whom were legally blind, for shaping his legal career. Since he was elevated to managing partner in 2015, he has steadily expanded Lippes Mathias to include more than 230 attorneys across 17 offices, thanks in part to acquisitions of Cleveland-based Fay Sharpe and Clarence, New York-based Andreozzi Bluestein in 2023, as well as West Palm Beach’s Ward Damon and Syracuse’s CCB Law in 2024. This year, Cross inked a deal to expand its footprint in Albany, leasing the entire sixth floor of 677 Broadway.
66. Joseph Hochreiter, Pamela Odom & Eric Jay Rosser
Joseph Hochreiter has made student success and workforce alignment among his top priorities in leading Albany’s public schools. He has led the school system to notable gains in student achievement, graduation rates and participation in Advanced Placement courses. He also has expanded career and technology education and created an admissions pathway to the University at Albany. He is implementing plans to reduce energy usage in schools as well.
Pamela Odom brings over three decades of experience in the Syracuse public schools to her job as superintendent, which she started late last year. Among her priorities is increased community engagement and addressing chronic absenteeism. The move to appoint Odom to the job came quickly, with the Board of Education picking her shortly after her predecessor announced his retirement last fall.
Collaboration is the name of the game for Rochester City School District Superintendent Eric Jay Rosser. Rosser started in the role last summer, and he has been dealing with management issues plaguing the city’s schools, including payroll delays for staff. Rosser has also been focusing on chronic student absenteeism.
67. Alexander Betke
Alexander Betke knows firsthand what state and local officials need, thanks to his tenure as town supervisor of Coxsackie. The government relations strategist joined Brown & Weinraub in 2017 after stints at Wilson Elser and Jackson Lewis, and he has since worked on affordable housing and economic development projects from the Capital Region to the Southern Tier. Betke recently assisted with the creation of the Broome Technology Park, brought a pharmaceutical manufacturer to Orange County and supported an electronics manufacturing facility in Endicott that received significant state funding.
68. Barbara Van Epps
Barbara Van Epps knows how to get things done for the elected leaders who get stuff done. The longtime municipal adviser became the New York State Conference of Mayors’ executive director in 2023 after overseeing its legislative advocacy for 14 years. She has helped secure increases in unrestricted municipal aid after 15 years of flat funding. Van Epps also supported towns moving away from residency requirements to ensure they can attract the talent necessary to fill local executive offices and departments. She warned the state must shoulder financial costs of Tier 6 pension reform since town budgets are stretched thin.
69. Julie LaFave
Summer family fun and agricultural promotion are Julie LaFave’s entire job description. LaFave has implemented a series of new capital projects at the New York State Fair to improve the Syracuse fairgrounds, including two new horse barns, a new Wool Center and sheep barn. At this year’s fair, a new Future Farmers of American Building will open, and planning is underway to expand the iconic Milk Bar for 2027. LaFave has also previewed new interactive programs for attendees this year and a series of affordability initiatives.
70. Tom King
Tom King has dedicated his career to preserving New Yorkers’ Second Amendment rights and promoting firearm safety and training. The New York State Rifle & Pistol Association leader’s most significant contribution was bringing the landmark case New York State Rifle & Pistol Association Inc. v. Bruen, in which the U.S. Supreme Court struck down New York’s concealed carry law. This year, King led a rebrand of the NRA Foundation, which he serves as president, into The 1791 Foundation, after a schism between the gun rights organization and its charitable wing.
71. Adam Bojak & Maurice “Mo” Brown
Maurice “Mo” Brown and Adam Bojak won seismic victories in the June primaries, toppling establishment-backed Assembly candidates and setting up Democratic Socialists of America footholds in Western and Central New York. Brown, an Onondaga County legislator, turned heads in Syracuse with his narrow upset of longtime Assembly Member William Magnarelli. Brown was backed by the Syracuse DSA chapter in his bid against the 14-term Magnarelli and also won the endorsement of state Sen. Rachel May. Brown put forward a DSA-aligned platform prioritizing renters and emphasizing affordability, while Magnarelli focused on his seniority and perch as Transportation Committee chair. Meanwhile, Bojak easily defeated Erie County Deputy Public Works Commissioner of Highways Karen Hoak and Buffalo banker Adam Deese in the primary for Assembly Member Jonathan Rivera’s seat in Buffalo and the southern suburbs. Bojak campaigned as an unabashed DSA member and ran 17 points ahead of Hoak, a former Hamburg council member who was backed by Erie County Executive Mark Poloncarz.
72. J. Michael Haynie
J. Michael Haynie, Syracuse University’s new leader, has created a special committee to “think differently and propose solutions that are disruptive and potentially unpopular” in the role of higher education, particularly in light of national trends. The gauntlet thrown down by Haynie, which he said “requires courage,” isn’t surprising given his background. Haynie, a U.S. Air Force veteran, previously served as Syracuse’s vice chancellor for strategic initiatives and innovation as well as executive dean of the university’s Whitman School of Management, and he founded groundbreaking veterans and military programs at Syracuse.
73. Jay Holland, Andrew Kennedy & Evan Sullivan
Ostroff Associates’ Andrew Kennedy is aiming to revitalize upstate manufacturing, including the burgeoning semiconductor industry. He secured continued state support for the New York MEP, a public-private partnership to bolster the manufacturing. He also advocated for the Advanced Technology Education Center at Hudson Valley Community College and helped secure $5 million for Clarkson University’s Engineering and Applied Sciences Educational Complex expansion. Kennedy’s colleague Evan Sullivan has been delivering for people with disabilities and school children. Sullivan helped a nonprofit provider advance development projects to expand community-based support services and affordable housing for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Sullivan also provided expert counsel to Lower Hudson Valley school districts on funding issues and spearheaded a petition to evaluate utility readiness for electric school buses. Agriculture, safety and housing topped Jay Holland’s agenda this year. Holland helped secure a five-year extension to the investment tax credit for farmers to convert land to production use, as well as measures to expand access to self-defense spray devices and to increase transparency for buyers and sellers in home purchases.
74. Douglas Dimitroff
Douglas Dimitroff ensures Phillips Lytle provides top-notch legal advice, whether it’s advising global Fortune 500 companies, regional financial institutions or local businesses and startups. Dimitroff launched the firm’s telecommunications practice and its land, environment and energy practice before becoming managing partner of the firm in 2023. He has since represented telecommunications carriers and commercial real estate owners while managing the day-to-day operations of the law firm, which is one of the largest in Western New York. In 2024, Dimitroff led the firm’s expansion into Albany.
75. AJ Wormuth
Dairy farmers scored some wins in this year’s state budget, including a five-year extension of an investment tax credit program, which lets farmers claim a tax credit for putting property into agricultural service. The Northeast Dairy Producers Association secured a $15 million investment into the Dairy Farm Modernization Grant program, plus continued investments into agricultural and environmental research. This spring, Elbridge dairy farmer AJ Wormuth succeeded longtime chair Keith Kimball, who remains on the organization’s board. Wormuth recently applauded the Hochul administration’s announcement of a $30 million Agricultural Resiliency Against Tariffs Program.
76. Oliver Kardos & Michael McMahon
Oliver Kardos and Michael McMahon bring decades of financial expertise to KeyBank, providing strategic advice for a range of upstate clients while advancing the regional bank’s interests in Albany. For seven years, Oliver Kardos served as KeyBank’s East region executive, managing nine of the bank’s 18 national markets upon the acquisition of First Niagara Bank, before becoming chief operating officer of its business banking team in 2023. Now he’s responsible for overseeing sales and strategy for KeyBank’s 11 markets in New York and throughout the Northeast, managing a team of close to 100 sales management professionals. Kardos serves on the New York Small Business Development Centers’ advisory board. McMahon joined KeyBank in 2015 as a senior vice president and became market president and commercial banking executive for upstate New York eight years later. He has been leading the banking company’s expansion into the Southeastern U.S., while strengthening the Western New York region by working with civic groups. McMahon joined the Kaleida Health board in 2023.
77. Nathan W.G. Berti
Nathan W.G. Berti has sought to prioritize technological innovations and maintain Hodgson Russ’ unified company culture since he was appointed managing partner in January. The trusts and estates specialist has spent 14 years at Buffalo’s largest law firm helping high net-worth individuals plan multigenerational estates before succeeding former Managing Partner Benjamin Zuffranieri Jr. This year, Berti has been concentrating on expanding the firm’s New York City office while the firm continued to represent high-profile clients, such as the Buffalo Board of Education, which is investigating a board member’s misconduct allegations.
78. Michael Fisher
Bishop Michael Fisher may look more like a crisis manager than a spiritual leader these days. Fisher has been hyperfocused on settling with sex abuse survivors while pursuing controversial plans that will dramatically overhaul the Diocese of Buffalo. Fisher plans to close parishes, sell properties and have all parishes declare bankruptcy to protect their remaining assets. Fisher met with Pope Leo XIV following outcries from the flock over parish closures last fall. Fisher says the pope supports his efforts but urged better communication. The “Save Our Buffalo Churches” group is demanding the pope investigate Fisher’s handling of the crisis.
79. Barbara Miller-Williams
Barbara Miller-Williams isn’t backing down in a high-stakes battle with the Buffalo Common Council and the mayor’s office over infrastructure expenditures and her concerns about Buffalo’s growing debt. Last year, the Buffalo comptroller refused to issue $110 million in bonds the Common Council passed in 2024 to pay for building repairs and school expansions, arguing that the city must prioritize “shovel-ready projects.” Instead, the mayor sued and a Buffalo judge ruled the comptroller must acquire the bonds. A state appellate court agreed in April, but Miller-Williams appealed the decision.
80. Ashley Walden
For years, it was hard to imagine that the Winter Olympics could return to Lake Placid – but Ashley Walden might make that impossible dream a reality. In the wake of the 2026 Milan Cortina Games, some New York officials became convinced that New York City and the Adirondacks could jointly host such competitions, prompting Gov. Kathy Hochul to convene an exploratory committee, chaired by Walden, to study hosting the 2042 Winter Games. Walden, a former Olympian bobsledder who has led ORDA since 2023, has also been grappling with rising deficits after the state’s ski businesses lost $50 million last year.
81. Robert Schofield
For more than 25 years, Robert Schofield has brought his legal expertise and tactical skills to help employers embroiled in complex labor disputes. Schofield has served as Whiteman Osterman & Hanna’s managing partner since 2020, leading its acquisition of Lewis & Greer in 2024 and the incorporation of Nolan Heller Kauffman last year, solidifying the firm’s status as Albany’s largest law firm. After a 10-year search, Schofield secured office space last year in a proposed nine-story tower in downtown Albany, the neighborhood’s first new commercial skyscraper in decades.
82. Joris Veldhoven
Joris Veldhoven has helped New York pursue a clean energy future despite obstacles from the federal government. The former Shell executive previously led Atlantic Shores Offshore Wind’s joint venture as its CEO. Veldhoven joined New York Transco in March, where he is piloting Propel NY Energy, the $3.26 billion 90-mile underground and submarine transmission project that is in development in partnership with the New York Power Authority, with construction to start later this year. New York Transco has completed multiple transmission projects in the Hudson Valley and the Capital Region.
83. Joseph Stefko
One way tech is transforming upstate New York is through the federally designated NY SMART I-Corridor. Joseph Stefko oversees the program spanning Buffalo, Rochester and Syracuse. This year, he partnered with the Ralph C. Wilson Jr. Foundation on an Entrepreneurial Ecosystem Accelerator. Stefko was also appointed to the University at Buffalo Council, linking the tech hub to the SUNY school that is home to Empire AI, the state’s artificial intelligence consortium. He also serves on the boards of the Greater Rochester Chamber of Commerce and the Rochester Downtown Development Corp.
84. Miguel Velázquez
Miguel Velázquez is focused on making sure upstate public transit is treated well as the Metropolitan Transportation Authority by state policymakers. The Rochester transit leader is currently serving as president of the New York Public Transit Association and focused this year on pressing for a 15% hike in state funding for upstate transit, ultimately securing a partial increase. Other NYPTA priorities include capital funding, a dedicated revenue stream and increased funding for rural transit.
85. Douglas Clark & Theresa Russo
Since co-founding Shenker, Russo & Clark in 2015, Douglas Clark and Theresa Russo have navigated the complex rules and regulations of the state’s budgetary and legislative processes. Clark has focused on government affairs, advising a myriad of clients in the hospitality, healthcare, telecommunications, banking and transportation industries. He recently helped negotiate legislation authorizing movie theaters to obtain liquor licenses, secured state funding for healthcare organizations and advocated for initiatives crucial to automobile dealers. Clark also serves as an adjunct professor at Albany Law School. He once worked as a top counsel to the Assembly Ways & Means Committee and the Assembly majority leader’s office. Russo leads the firm’s alcohol beverage licensing practice and has advised restaurants, bars, hotels, liquor stores, wholesalers and cruise lines on a variety of alcohol laws. She recently helped a client with 400 liquor license applications and assisted with the passage of several alcohol-related initiatives in the state Legislature to ease regulations for small businesses. She once worked with David Paterson during his tenure in the state Senate.
86. Stephen Turkovich
Dr. Stephen Turkovich has had a noteworthy tenure leading the state’s only freestanding children’s hospital. Last year, he welcomed the hospital’s largest donation, $50 million from Tom Golisano, and led the name change from Oishei Children’s Hospital to Golisano Children’s Hospital of Buffalo, joining the national network of children’s hospitals that Golisano is amassing. This year, Turkovich received $75,000 from the sale of a breakfast cereal branded after Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen, sold at Wegmans and benefiting the hospital’s Patricia Allen Fund, a $17 million fund named after the quarterback’s late grandmother.
87. James Orband
James Orband has established himself as a pillar of Binghamton as managing partner of the city’s premier law firm. Hinman, Howard & Kattell has expanded outside of Binghamton to have 14 offices, including outposts in Pennsylvania, New Jersey and Florida. Orband specializes in complex commercial law and construction finance. He is a longtime member of the Binghamton University Council. His firm was co-founded by former state Sen. Harvey Hinman, an ally of former President Theodore Roosevelt. Former state Senate Majority Leader Warren Anderson, an Albany power broker for decades, was a longtime attorney at the firm.
88. Thomas Beauford Jr.
Thomas Beauford Jr. left a career in finance to lead the Buffalo Urban League in the summer of 2020, a period of social upheaval. The veteran banking executive has helped raise funds for the 99-year-old nonprofit, receiving $6 million from philanthropist MacKenzie Scott in 2022. In 2023, the organization unveiled plans to build a new $25 million, 40,000-square-foot headquarters on Buffalo’s East Side. Under Beauford’s leadership, the Buffalo Urban League has given back through laptop giveaways and tenants rights workshops. Beauford serves on the boards of Kaleida Health and the Buffalo Niagara Partnership.
89. Alex Elmasri
Alex Elmasri helped secure a supermajority for state Senate Democrats before joining The Parkside Group’s team in 2025. The former executive director of the state Democratic Senate Campaign Committee has continued his winning streak at Parkside, helping the trio of Sharon Owens, Dorcey Applyrs and Sean Ryan with their upstate mayoral races and ensuring Democrats maintained majorities in the Dutchess County and Westchester County legislatures. Now, Elmasri is watching for a new wave of talent to enter the state Legislature in 2027 as Democrats aim to expand their majorities in Albany.
90. Simeon Banister, Betsy Constantine & Melanie Littlejohn
Simeon Banister is leading the Rochester Area Community Foundation as it supports the local region. Banister, who was elevated to president and CEO of the foundation in 2022, has launched an environmental initiative to donate funds to offset carbon emissions from travel. Last year, the foundation awarded $467,000 in grants to five local nonprofits to boost childcare.
Melanie Littlejohn is a Central New York powerhouse. Besides leading the Central New York Community Foundation, Littlejohn has served as co-chair of the Micron Community Engagement Committee, which is leading the semiconductor company’s community benefit strategy with its new plant outside of Syracuse. The foundation’s more recent grants include funding for the Madison County Rural Health Council to address housing stability, funds for the Oswego Health Foundation to address youth mental health and $1 million for the Housing Central New York Fund.
Betsy Constantine has the Community Foundation for Greater Buffalo involved in new Mayor Sean Ryan’s effort to turn around the city. The foundation is running Ryan’s newly created City of Buffalo Transition and Transformation Fund, which is accepting private donations to supplement city salaries and fund research and consulting. The foundation quickly raised $800,000 from the community foundation and two other Buffalo-based grantmakers.
91. Mark Blue
Mark Blue has embodied the dual roles of modern civil rights leaders who honor the memories of their heroes while fighting injustices affecting their communities. The NAACP’s Buffalo chapter leader and pastor has led fundraising efforts for a Living Memorial commemorating those killed in the city’s 2022 mass shooting as chair of the 5/14 Foundation. He also reflected on the Rev. Jesse Jackson’s legacy after his death this year. Blue has supported Black candidates for local office, including Jamestown City Council President Regina Brackman, while holding other public officials accountable for their controversial records.
92. John Olsen
John Olsen is one of the foremost tech-adept lobbyists in Albany. After stints representing the internet and blockchain industries, Olsen joined Statewide Public Affairs in 2023. He has since expanded the government relations and communications firm’s emerging technology practice, which counts IBM, TikTok and Waymo among its clients. Olsen has helped shape several recent laws, including the SAFE for Kids Act, which regulates social media feeds, and the RAISE Act, a landmark artificial intelligence safety bill. He opposed a crypto mining tax, which he argued could stymie an emerging upstate industry.
93. Anne McCaffrey
Anne McCaffrey is dedicated to supporting and uplifting people with intellectual and developmental disabilities, older adults and people who are deaf. McCaffrey is expanding People Inc.’s affordable housing efforts, with plans to redevelop part of the former DeGraff Memorial Hospital into affordable housing for seniors, including a set-aside for those with chronic medical conditions. The organization, a major human services nonprofit in the region, also opened new affordable housing units in Williamsville, some for people with disabilities, along with overnight respite housing for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities.
94. Jeff Cook
Jeff Cook is proactively addressing New York’s housing crisis. The Rochester-based developer successfully advocated for legislation last year to classify manufactured homes as real property, which allows for expanded mortgage financing. He is a champion of urban infill – the use of vacant properties – to create new housing opportunities while also revitalizing aging neighborhoods. He has worked with over 100 upstate communities, including Rochester and Monroe County, on urban infill initiatives. Cook recently purchased nine vacant properties from Rochester to build manufactured housing for city residents.
95. Nora Suric
Nora Suric has spent her career dedicated to enhancing the quality of life and healthcare for New York’s older adults and their caregivers. The philanthropic executive became president of the Health Foundation for Western and Central New York in 2017 and has since advocated for a statewide aging plan as the population of seniors increases. In 2022, Gov. Kathy Hochul appointed Suric to the state Master Plan for Aging’s Stakeholder Advisory Committee. That same year, the Buffalo- and Syracuse-based organization received a $9 million donation from philanthropist MacKenzie Scott to address racial and economic health disparities.
96. Michael Cinquanti
Michael Cinquanti established his own boutique lobbying practice in 2024 after consulting with two Albany government relations firms and advocating for major labor organizations. The Genium founding principal counts the New York State Building and Construction Trades Council as a key client, helping advance expanded prevailing wage laws, paid family leave benefits for construction workers and funding for the governor’s Sustainable Future Program. He has also represented RWE’s clean energy and offshore wind projects and continues to serve on the Albany Port District Commission board.
97. Vincent Esposito
Vincent Esposito has had his hands in nearly every major economic development initiative upstate over the past decade. The Empire State Development executive, who oversees 10 regional offices, joined the governor’s upstate intergovernmental affairs team in 2022 to coordinate administration priorities, such as Rochester’s ROC the Riverway initiative. The former Joseph Morelle aide has engaged with the PGA Tour to attract more golf championships to the state, unveiled the new High Falls State Park’s design plans and coordinated the Buffalo Bills’ Highmark State ribbon-cutting ceremony in June.
98. Debra Remy
Debra Remy was reaping wins for New York farmers in this year’s state budget. The budget included legislation to extend the 20% refundable investment tax credit to 2033 for farm investments in buildings and equipment, aligning state climate laws on methane accounting to match international and federal standards, auto insurance reform, funding to help farmers impacted by tariffs, an increased tax credit for food pantry donations by farmers and increased agricultural research funding.
99. Mark Wendel
Mark Wendel wants you to take a cruise from Buffalo to Milwaukee. While it may never match Miami’s status as a cruise destination, some cruises have returned to Buffalo, with one from Milwaukee docking at Erie Basin Marina this spring. And it won’t be the last, with seven more planned throughout the summer. Wendel runs the Empire State Development subsidiary managing Buffalo’s waterfront redevelopment, which has plans to expand the cruise sector. Gov. Kathy Hochul even announced plans for a new cruise terminal by 2028.
100. Antonio Delgado
Does Lt. Gov. Antonio Delgado have any regrets about doing it his way? He entered office four years ago as part of the first upstate gubernatorial ticket in over a century. He’ll exit on Dec. 31 following a spectacular falling out with Gov. Kathy Hochul and a left-leaning gubernatorial campaign that imploded well before a progressive wave swept through this year’s primaries. Not long ago, he was a rising star in Congress, chairing an agriculture subcommittee and passing 18 bills. Delgado now has few official duties left, although he’s still first in the line of succession.
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