Who’s in and who’s out of the Albany Power 100

The Albany Power 100 is more than a ranking. It captures a moment in the ebb and flow of the power in state politics. So we want to highlight who’s new to the list and who no longer makes the cut – as well as the figures who made a big move up or down the list.

WHO’S OUT?

(and their ranking last year)

Moving on: Former Counsel to the Governor Alphonso David (9), former state Education Commissioner MaryEllen Elia(18), former Empire State Development President and CEO Howard Zemsky (21), former Real Estate Board of New York President John Banks (33), former SKDKnickerbocker Managing Director Jennifer Cunningham (36), former “Capital Tonight” host Liz Benjamin (43), former Civil Service Employees Association President Daniel Donohue (45), former Train Daddy Andy Byford(56), former New York State Nurses Association Executive Director Jill Furillo (61), former District Attorneys Association of the State of New York President David Soares (76), former Working Families Party State Director Bill Lipton (95), former Jackson Lewis Albany Office Managing Principal Lisa Marrello (98)

No longer running for mayor: Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr.(41)

Lost in the shuffle: CUNY Chairman Bill Thompson (32), Related Cos. Chairman Stephen Ross (38), Rent Stabilization Association President Joseph Strasburg (46), state Sen. Jamaal Bailey (58), Uber Senior Manager for Policy and Communications Josh Gold (66), Thruway Authority Executive Director Matthew Driscoll (75), Buffalo News Albany Bureau Chief Tom Precious (78), Secretary of State Rossana Rosado (89), Pythia Public Co-founder Alexis Grenell (90), Internet Association Northeast Region Director John Olsen (96), New York State Energy Research and Development Authority Chairman Richard Kauffman (99), state Joint Commission on Public Ethics Executive Director Seth Agata (100)

Deceased: Former 32BJ SEIU President Héctor Figueroa (29)

WHO’S IN?

(and their ranking this year)

State Health Commissioner Howard Zucker (6), SUNY Empire State College President Jim Malatras (15), former Cuomo Secretaries Bill Mulrow, Steve Cohen & Larry Schwartz (19), Northwell Health CEO Michael Dowling (20), Counsel to the Governor Kumiki Gibson & Special Counsel and Senior Adviser to the Governor Elizabeth Garvey (23), Empire State Development President and CEO Eric Gertler (28), 32BJ SEIU President Kyle Bragg (38), Real Estate Board of New York President James Whelan (40), interim state Education Commissioner Shannon Tahoe (55), New York State Nurses Association Executive Director Pat Kane (57), Suffolk County Executive Steve Bellone (58), Civil Service Employees Association President Mary Sullivan (60), District Attorneys Association of the State of New York President David Hoovler (66), Gibson Dunn Partner Mylan Denerstein (72), Regeneron Pharmaceuticals CEO Leonard Schleifer (73), state Department of Environmental Conservation Commissioner Basil Seggos (76), New York State Building and Construction Trades President James Cahill (87), New York Building Congress President and CEO Carlo Scissura (88), Working Families Party State Director Sochie Nnaemeka (93), New York State Republican Party Chairman Nick Langworthy (91), Verizon Vice President of Public Policy Leecia Eve (95), Retail Council of New York State President and CEO Ted Potrikus (96), National Supermarket Association Executive Director Elizabeth Peralta (97), CMW Counselor and Senior Adviser Skip Piscitelli (99), Assembly Minority Leader William Barclay (100)

WHO’S UP

(The three biggest jumps, their ranking this year and the number of spots they moved up)

1. State Department of Financial Services Superintendent Linda Lacewell (16), who’s putting pressure on insurers to help out COVID-19 patients and the unemployed (up 35)
2. State Chief Judge Janet DiFiore (44), who modernized court proceedings by moving them online – even before the coronavirus pandemic (up 16)
3. Jill DesRosiers (42), who is playing a central role in New York’s coronavirus response as Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s chief of staff (up 15)

WHO’S DOWN

(The three biggest drops, their ranking this year and the number of spots they moved down)

1. State Senate Finance Committee Chair Liz Krueger (41), who failed to legalize recreational marijuana – and is having diminished input on budget matters as the Cuomo administration takes the wheel (down 15)
2. State Senate Minority Leader John Flanagan (90), who is following the lead of a number of state Senate GOP colleagues by opting not to seek reelection (down 13)
3. Assembly Ways and Means Committee Chair Helene Weinstein (94), who like Krueger seems to have relinquished some control over state spending as cuts loom (down 12)