Power Lists
The 2024 Upstate Power 100
The New York leaders revitalizing Rust Belt cities and reimagining rural regions.
Rochester, NY Richard Cummins/ Getty Images
Each year, Buffalo expats in Washington, D.C., gather in the Dirksen Senate Office Building to debate the merits of Anchor Bar vs. Duff’s and compare notes on the best way to get to Northern Virginia’s newest Wegmans. But wings and Wegmans are only the starting point when it comes to the finest food on offer in upstate New York, which also features such delicacies as beef on weck, Sahlen’s white hots, garbage plates, city chicken, spiedies, sausage sandwiches, mozzarella sticks with melba sauce, tomato pie, salt potatoes, Michigan hot dogs and sponge candy.
Of course, there’s much more to upstate than its culinary delights. The semiconductor and chips industry is diversifying the economy, and drones are making Central New York a destination. Buffalo is home to the first upstate governor in a century – and it’s no coincidence that a new Bills stadium is on the way. Sports tourism is an anchor elsewhere too, including in Lake Placid, which could even host part of another Winter Olympics. And the dairy and agriculture industries are not to be overlooked.
Check out the power players who have upstate New York charting a new course.
Did we miss anyone? Let us know at lists@cityandstateny.com. And pitch us names for other upcoming power lists.
1. Kathy Hochul
Upstate’s first governor in a century is tackling issues all over the state. Gov. Kathy Hochul has promoted the growth of the semiconductor industry in Central New York, delivered funding to renovate Binghamton’s airport and convened a meeting of the state’s Indigenous leaders over the summer. The former Western New York member of Congress and ex-Erie County clerk even got a place in Manhattan, renting an apartment near her Midtown office that complements her waterfront condo in Buffalo and the Executive Mansion in Albany.
2. Chuck Schumer & Kirsten Gillibrand
For a diehard Brooklynite, U.S. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer is likely just as comfortable at Lost Dog Cafe & Lounge in Binghamton and Orange Cat Coffee Co. in Lewiston as he is at Junior’s in Brooklyn. The omnipresent senator is famed for his annual trips to every county in New York, typically linked to an announcement of new federal funding the Washington, D.C., powerhouse has brought. That includes numerous grants for projects related to the growth of the semiconductor industry in Central New York, a new program to address mosquito illnesses in humans and horses upstate, and grants to local public safety agencies.
U.S. Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand’s committee assignments align with the needs of many upstate constituents. Her seats on the Senate Armed Services and Intelligence committees allow her to address national security and military issues of concern to Fort Drum, the northern border and the growth of the semiconductor industry as it relates to defense. On the Senate Agriculture Committee, Gillibrand is helping to shape the coming farm bill and rural development funding programs. Gillibrand, who’s been seeking to boost Democratic turnout in New York as she coasts to another six-year term, reportedly is positioning herself to chair the Democratic Senate Campaign Committee, a leadership post that once catapulted Schumer to the majority leader’s job.
3. Crystal Peoples-Stokes
Perhaps the most powerful upstate member of the state Legislature, Assembly Majority Leader Crystal Peoples-Stokes’ impact on the state is being felt from Buffalo’s Niagara Square to Times Square. She authored the state’s marijuana legalization law, a top priority of hers for years, and she continues to push for improved implementation of the law, including calling for additional staffing for the state’s cannabis offices. Peoples-Stokes, a former majority leader of the Erie County Legislature, has also been an immense supporter of the Humboldt Parkway restoration in her Buffalo district, which last year obtained the largest federal Reconnecting Communities grant in the nation.
4. Elise Stefanik
The words no college president wants to hear? “Elise Stefanik is on line one.” The North Country lawmaker has successfully taken down three Ivy League presidents with her sharp questioning about pro-Palestinian protests and antisemitism on college campuses this year. Last year, the House Republican Conference chair presided over the multiweek search for a new House speaker. The most senior and most powerful New York Republican on Capitol Hill, Stefanik could rise even further if her ally Donald Trump returns to the White House.
5. Neil Breslin, Samra Brouk, Jeremy Cooney, Michelle Hinchey, Rachel May & Sean Ryan
With all of Buffalo’s elected mayors dating back to 1978 having previously served in the state Senate, could state Sen. Sean Ryan extend the trend? The state Senate commerce committee chair has been floated as a likely candidate in what could be a crowded field in the next mayoral race. Ryan has praised Western Regional Off-Track Betting for hiring outgoing Mayor Byron Brown as president but is critical of outgoing OTB chief Henry Wojtaszek’s six-figure buyout.
Following Tim Kennedy’s election to Congress in April, state Sen. Jeremy Cooney stepped up to chair the Senate Transportation Committee. Among the Rochester Democrat’s priorities on the committee are improving mass transit, reconnecting communities projects around the state and adding more direct flights out of upstate airports.
State Senate Mental Health Committee Chair Samra Brouk has a wide-ranging agenda for next year, including improving social worker licensing exams, funding mental health emergency response units, increasing pay for social workers and offering free telehealth appointments for students.
State Senate Agriculture Committee Chair Michelle Hinchey had a busy session, with 53 of her bills passing in her own chamber and 29 coming out of both houses. That includes a short-term rental registry bill that was heavily debated in Albany. The governor recently signed two of Hinchey’s emergency medical services bills into law.
State Senate Cities 2 Committee Chair Rachel May this year released a new report focusing on poverty in upstate New York. Among the issues addressed in the report are the high rates of child poverty upstate and how upstate nonprofit groups are spread thin, making it difficult to focus on issues related to poverty.
After more than a quarter century in office, state Sen. Neil Breslin is set to retire at the end of the year. This past session, the Senate Insurance Committee chair introduced legislation to make staged construction accidents a felony and sought to provide increased state storm recovery relief.
6. Kathy Sheehan, Malik Evans & Ben Walsh
Albany Mayor Kathy Sheehan is well into her third term, and she’s not slowing down. In proposing her recent city budget for next year, Sheehan said homeowners will see a property tax reduction while business owners will see a slight increase. The budget includes new investments in public safety and infrastructure. This is Sheehan’s penultimate budget proposal, as the former city treasurer announced she will not seek a fourth mayoral term next year. Last year, in her role as temporary president of the New York Conference of Mayors, she helped secure an additional $50 million in state aid for cities, villages and towns.
Rochester may not have a nightlife mayor, but they do have a mayor who wants a safe nightlife scene. Mayor Malik Evans unveiled a special event zone around Rochester’s East End, with special entry checkpoints to address a rise in crime in Rochester’s popular bar and restaurant district. He has also announced a “Vision Zero” plan to reduce traffic deaths.
With just a year left before term limits force him out as Syracuse mayor, Ben Walsh remains focused on his job and says he does not see higher elective office in his future. The son and grandson of members of Congress, Walsh said he prefers executive offices over legislative ones. Among Walsh’s priorities this year are affordable housing growth, increased broadband access and semiautomated recycling.
7. Ray Halbritter
Ray Halbritter welcomed U.S. Interior Secretary Deb Haaland for a history-making visit to witness the opening of the Oneida Indian Nation’s new 90,000-square-foot Mary C. Winder Community Center this year. Haaland, the country’s first Native American Cabinet secretary, is the highest ranking federal official to visit the ancestral lands of the Oneida Indian Nation. Halbritter this year broke ground on a $50 million expansion of Point Place Casino in Madison County, which will double the gambling floor, add a hotel and create new dining and event spaces.
8. Mario Cilento
One of New York’s most influential labor leaders, Mario Cilento was reelected to his fourth full term leading the New York State AFL-CIO this summer. Cilento, whose umbrella labor group represents 3,000 labor unions and 2.5 million individuals, spearheaded the overhaul of the Tier 6 public employee pensions as part of this year’s state budget, saying it will help with the recruitment and retention of the workforce. He also championed legislation on the use of artificial intelligence in state government and said AI continues to be a top issue for organized labor.
9. Rickey Armstrong Sr. & Kevin Nephew
With his third term as Seneca Nation of Indians president coming to an end this year, Rickey Armstrong Sr. would like to complete one piece of unfinished business: a new gambling revenue agreement with the state, but that would require lawmakers to return to Albany to approve any pact between Armstrong and Gov. Kathy Hochul. Armstrong hopes a deal could be inked this year, but a number of issues remain, including the percentage of slot machine revenue the state would receive. During Armstrong’s first term in the early 2000s, the Seneca Nation of Indians’s first two casinos opened. Kevin Nephew, who runs the Seneca Nation of Indians’ three casinos, recently brought on Rod Centers, an experienced casino executive, as Seneca Gaming Corp.’s chief operating officer. Nephew is the first Seneca member to lead its gambling corporation.
10. Nick Langworthy, Marc Molinaro, Claudia Tenney & Brandon Williams
A general rule for New York Republicans in Congress is that the farther away they are from New York City, the safer they tend to be. Representing Western New York and the Southern Tier is Rep. Nick Langworthy, a first-term Republican who previously chaired the state Republican Party.
A protégé of former Rep. Tom Reynolds, Langworthy has followed in his mentor’s footsteps as a fundraising powerhouse, with over $1 million cash on hand at the end of September in his ruby red rural district. The chair of the Aviation Safety Caucus helped retain rules to require 1,500 flight hours for commercial pilot training. The rules were put in place after the fatal 2009 crash of Colgan Air Flight 3407 in the Buffalo suburb of Clarence, part of Langworthy’s district.
There seem to be few upstate regions that Rep. Claudia Tenney hasn’t represented in Congress. The former state lawmaker now represents a redrawn district stretching all the way from rural Niagara County to the North Country. The outspoken conservative has demanded answers from Cornell University over the reinstatement of a professor suspended for antisemitic remarks and has filed legislation to delete references to the West Bank from government documents.
A former Dutchess County executive who represents a sprawling district from the Hudson Valley to Ithaca, Rep. Marc Molinaro is focused on crime in his competitive bid for a second term. Molinaro has introduced legislation to allow the federal government to give crime prevention grants directly to local governments due to New York’s bail and clean slate laws.
Rep. Brandon Williams may be the incumbent most in danger of losing in November. The Syracuse Republican is locked in a tight race with state Sen. John Mannion. The Energy Subcommittee chair has been touting his constituent service work, obtaining federal funding for local projects and legislation to expand breast cancer screenings.
11. Tim Kennedy, Joseph Morelle, Pat Ryan & Paul Tonko
Rep. Joseph Morelle is in the thick of national election policy as the top Democrat on the House Administration Committee. He has outlined an agenda to minimize the impact of artificial intelligence on elections, promote voting rights and ensure certification of the presidential election without interference. Morelle, who also sits on the powerful House Appropriations Committee, has criticized the U.S. Supreme Court’s ruling establishing presidential immunity.
A former leader of the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority, Rep. Paul Tonko has continued to focus on energy policy in Washington, D.C., serving on the House Energy and Commerce Committee and the Science, Space and Technology Committee. Outside of energy policy, the Albany-area Democrat recently introduced legislation to institute new federal rules governing mobile sports betting.
Rep. Pat Ryan was the eighth congressional Democrat to call on President Joe Biden to drop his reelection campaign this year – no surprise for a first-term representative in a swing district who is worried about the viability of the top of the ticket. Ryan, who’s the vice ranking member of the Armed Services Committee and a member of the Transportation Committee, recently teamed up with his West Point classmate, Michigan Republican Rep. John James, to compete in the Anheuser-Busch congressional brewing competition with a West Point-inspired beer.
Some people run for Congress – but Rep. Tim Kennedy appears to have taken a casual stroll. Following Brian Higgins’ exit earlier this year to lead a performing arts center in Buffalo, Kennedy was the odds-on favorite to take the seat in the April special election. The former state Senate Transportation Committee chair, Kennedy now sits on the Homeland Security and Veterans Affairs Committees in Washington, D.C.
12. Melinda Person
A former teacher and policy analyst, Melinda Person has blended her skills with a deep background in organizing to be successful in Albany. This year, Person was able to help protect school funding in this year’s budget and was part of the successful campaign to pass Tier 6 pension reforms. Person also advocated for social media legislation that was enacted and pressed the governor to sign legislation to address extreme heat in schools. Person emphasizes that schools are not just education centers, but they also address mental health and other student needs.
13. Heather Briccetti Mulligan
Albany knows Heather Briccetti Mulligan means business. The influential head of The Business Council of New York State is being recognized nationally for the work she and the advocacy group are doing to advance business interests. The National Association of State Chambers recently honored the Business Council as state chamber of the year. She recently teamed with state Comptroller Tom DiNapoli to express concerns about the declining state population’s impact on the economy and praised lawmakers for changes to state liquor laws in this year’s budget.
14. Terry & Kim Pegula
Jessica Pegula is a highly ranked women’s tennis star who made it to the U.S. Open finals this year, but her parents are just as well known in the world of professional sports. Terry and Kim Pegula, the owners of Buffalo’s top sports franchises, have seen plenty of success competitively – and they’re just as adept at politics as business. State and Erie County officials agreed to fund $850 million of the Buffalo Bills’ new stadium, and now, Erie County Comptroller Kevin Hardwick has started to sell Bills bonds to help finance the county’s $250 million share of the stadium.
15. Adam Bello, Daniel McCoy, Ryan McMahon, Anthony Picente Jr. & Mark Poloncarz
Mark Poloncarz last year won a historic fourth term as Erie County executive. Now, Poloncarz is poised for improved relations with Buffalo City Hall, with his longtime frenemy Buffalo Mayor Byron Brown vacating the post. In his 2024 State of the County address, Poloncarz touted investments in new snow clearing equipment, affordable housing, rural ambulance services and the county’s contribution to the new Buffalo Bills stadium.
Onondaga County Executive Ryan McMahon has aimed to be “bold” in 2024. His most recent budget included a 9% tax cut and an increase in staff for the county Department of Children and Family Services, along with investments in housing. McMahon also chairs the International Economic Development task force for the National Association of Counties.
Albany County Executive Daniel McCoy won reelection to a fourth term last year and is focused on improving recreation options, economic development and support of the arts. McCoy, who delved into AI, homeland security and COVID-19 as president of the New York State Association of Counties, had been rumored to be interested in assuming the top spot at the Albany County Airport Authority but said he will finish out his term.
Monroe County Executive Adam Bello this year pioneered a new school bus camera program and a new juvenile crime diversion program. He has been adding sidewalks to increase pedestrian safety and launched a new eviction prevention program.
Oneida County Executive Anthony Picente Jr. is not just his county’s longest serving leader, but is currently the longest serving county executive in the state. Picente has been outspoken against the transporting of migrants from New York City to upstate, issuing executive orders blocking them from his county. He won a victory when a New York City judge ruled that any cases by the city against upstate counties would have to be handled in the respective county.
16. Satish Tripathi
As president of the University at Buffalo, Satish Tripathi is focused on growth and technology. Tripathi is celebrating the state designating UB home to Gov. Kathy Hochul’s $250 million Empire AI consortium, along with $30 million in federal funding for AI research and $40 million for semiconductor research. He has announced new buildings for AI and a new James Joyce Museum to house the university’s archive of the Irish poet and author. The university is also embarking on a multiyear, $1.64 billion construction program.
17. Antonio Delgado
A former subcommittee chair on the House Agriculture Committee, Lt. Gov. Antonio Delgado now travels the state focusing on a portfolio that includes economic development and public service. Delgado raised eyebrows earlier this year when he called on President Joe Biden to drop his reelection campaign, breaking with Gov. Kathy Hochul, who was one of Biden’s staunchest allies at the time. Politically, Delgado has raised his profile as he focuses on helping his former Washington, D.C., colleagues retake the House majority.
18. Carla Freedman & Trini Ross
While their downstate colleagues are making headlines for high-profile government corruption and clownish political cases, upstate’s top federal prosecutors are busy addressing crime across the region. Carla Freedman, the U.S. attorney for the Northern District of New York, teamed up with state Attorney General Letitia James this spring to recover $6.3 million for those defrauded by an attorney and a financial adviser. Freedman also is cracking down on antisemitism, winning a 22-month sentence for a former Cornell University student who pleaded guilty to making antisemitic threats. Trini Ross, the top federal prosecutor in New York’s Western District, recently launched a podcast to inform the public about the activities of her office and the U.S. Department of Justice. Ross announced the arrest of four individuals connected to a Niagara Falls drug trafficking ring and brought to justice a man who placed hidden cameras in an Orleans County church bathroom.
19. Harry Bronson, Pamela Hunter, Donna Lupardo, William Magnarelli & John T. McDonald III
Assembly Government Operations Committee Chair John T. McDonald III is focused on a variety of issues, including a controversial landfill in Rensselaer and the need for local officials to develop a closure plan. He has been working to address the temporary shutdown of an incinerator in Cohoes, balancing environmental concerns with the displaced workforce. His brother, James McDonald, serves as the state’s health commissioner.
Assembly Member Harry Bronson became chair of the influential Labor Committee at the start of the year, following several years overseeing economic development policy. The Rochester-area lawmaker, who has been in office since 2013, has signaled a focus on workforce development and the green economy in his new role.
Assembly Member Pamela Hunter was a lead sponsor of “good cause” eviction, a tenant protection measure that was included in the state budget in an altered form. The Banks Committee chair also sponsored successful legislation to require disclosure of pet insurance premiums and is pushing to allow wine sales in supermarkets, a practice allowed in 40 states and the District of Columbia.
During the Farm Aid festival in Saratoga Springs, Assembly Agriculture Committee Chair Donna Lupardo welcomed colleagues from the State Innovation Exchange, a national progressive state lawmakers group, to New York to discuss agriculture and food policy. Lupardo has focused on issues confronting family farms.
Assembly Transportation Committee Chair William Magnarelli is a booster of his hometown team, the Syracuse Orange. Magnarelli announced a $3 million state grant for renovations at the basketball program’s JMA Wireless Dome over the summer. Off the court, Magnarelli is revising the state’s drug impaired driving laws and finding funding for road repairs.
20. René Jones
René Jones had made public trust in the banking industry a priority of his in leading Buffalo-based M&T Bank, a financial institution with $200 billion in assets. Jones, who took over as chair and CEO in 2017 and is one of relatively few Black banking executives in a top leadership post, has been busy leading an expansion into New England following a merger with People’s United Bank. In his annual letter to investors, Jones said building and maintaining public trust is a top priority for him, particularly in New England.
21. Douglas Jemal
Having conquered real estate development in the Washington, D.C., region, Douglas Jemal is now remaking Buffalo. Jemal, who has already renovated Seneca One Tower, the city’s tallest building, now plans to revamp the Statler Tower, a former hotel across from City Hall in Niagara Square, which has been debated by Buffalo leaders for years. Jemal is seeking $30 million in state support for the renovation of the mostly vacant 18-story building, which he plans to convert for residential and hotel use.
22. Byron Brown
What’s the next act after becoming Buffalo’s longest-serving mayor? Byron Brown spent much of his fifth term figuring that out, and while he’s not headed to Disney World, he’s on his way to run Western Regional OTB and Batavia Downs. The former state senator’s move to Batavia comes after the OTB board was overhauled by the state to move the majority from rural Republicans to urban and suburban Democrats. Brown had previously explored the presidency of SUNY Buffalo State University and a possible bid for Congress.
23. Christopher Scanlon
In January, Christopher Scanlon was elected by his colleagues on the Buffalo Common Council as the body’s new president – and now he’s moved up, at least temporarily, as Buffalo’s acting mayor. With the resignation of Mayor Byron Brown, Scanlon will serve out the remaining year of Brown’s term. Scanlon has represented South Buffalo in the city’s legislative body since 2012. Scanlon, who has started to outline his priorities to address a $40 million budget deficit, would have to run next year to keep the mayoralty, in what promises to be a competitive June Democratic primary.
24. Michael Kotlikoff
A quarter century after being recruited to Ithaca as a veterinary medicine professor at Cornell University, Michael Kotlikoff will be spending two years as the Ivy League school’s interim president. Kotlikoff, Cornell’s longtime provost, took over after Martha Pollack’s retirement in June and will serve until Pollack’s permanent successor takes office in 2026. Kotlikoff has said a top priority for him is to move Cornell back to a model of civil discourse on global issues.
25. Havidán Rodríguez
The first Hispanic president of a four-year SUNY institution, Havidán Rodríguez has raised the University at Albany’s profile in the technology sector with a new artificial intelligence supercomputing initiative. Following the closure of the nearby College of Saint Rose, Rodríguez helped fill the gap by reviving an undergraduate program in education. He also inked dual admission agreements with SUNY Fulton-Montgomery Community College and Hudson Valley Community College. Off campus, Rodríguez is a commissioner for the Middle States Commission on Higher Education and co-chairs the state Capital Region Council for Economic Development.
26. Patricia Fahy, Angelo Santabarbara, Phil Steck, Al Stirpe & Carrie Woerner
Assembly Higher Education Committee Chair Patricia Fahy is looking to move to the other side of the Capitol with her candidacy for the state Senate in November. This year, Fahy passed legislation to require a registry of short-term rentals, mandate electric vehicle charging stations for new construction and address the future of the shuttered College of Saint Rose campus.
Meanwhile, Assembly Member Al Stirpe passed on a run for an open state Senate seat, but it seems things worked out for him – the Syracuse-area Democrat traded the small business gavel for chair of the Economic Development, Job Creation, Commerce and Industry Committee.
Will he or won’t he? That was the question for Assembly Member Phil Steck this year. The Alcoholism and Drug Abuse Committee chair announced a bid for Albany County district attorney before dropping out and announcing his run for reelection. Steck later backed Democrat Lee Kindlon for district attorney.
It’s been a musical chairs kind of term for Democrat Carrie Woerner. The Saratoga County lawmaker started 2023 as the new Libraries and Education Technology Committee chair and began 2024 as the chair of the Small Business Committee. This fall, Gov. Kathy Hochul signed her bill requiring students to sit on all boards of education.
Assembly Libraries and Education Technology Committee Chair Angelo Santabarbara was joined by Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie at a Schenectady County children’s center during the speaker’s annual summer tour. Santabarbara has also pushed for harsher penalties for drivers passing stopped school buses.
27. Jeremy Jacobs
It is a pretty straight shot along I-90 from Buffalo to Boston, which connects Jeremy Jacobs’ two worlds. In Buffalo, Jacobs presides over the food, hotel and venue company Delaware North, while in Boston, he’s the owner of the NHL’s Bruins. He also chairs the National Hockey League Board of Governors and the University at Buffalo Council. Delaware North has positioned its resorts operating near state and national parks to be more resilient during downturns. The company is also bringing in gambling industry veterans as it seeks to expand in the sector.
28. Jack O’Donnell
A former aide to U.S. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and in the state comptroller’s office, Jack O’Donnell has established himself as a top lobbyist from Buffalo to New York City. O’Donnell is president of the Buffalo Police Foundation and has rallied support for the University at Buffalo’s James Joyce Archive. O’Donnell clients include Delaware North, the Ralph C. Wilson Jr. Foundation, the Buffalo Niagara Partnership, the Monroe County Water Authority and the North Atlantic States Regional Council of Carpenters.
29. John Koelmel, Joseph Kessler & Daniella Piper
The New York Power Authority is in the middle of perhaps its most transformative period, as it implements the Build Public Renewables Act and plays a critical role in carrying out the landmark Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act of 2019. Among NYPA’s leaders are Chair John Koelmel, Chief Operating Officer Joseph Kessler and Chief Innovation Officer Daniella Piper. The authority is in the middle of developing a strategic plan for the executing the law and for developing new renewable energy sources by 2030. NYPA has recently received bond rating updates from two rating agencies for their revenue bonds and is exploring building a new headquarters in White Plains.
30. Gavin Donohue
Gavin Donohue has been at the center of New York’s energy and environmental policy for years, from his tenure as a top environment adviser to then-Gov. George Pataki and executive deputy commissioner of the state Department of Environmental Conservation to his current role as the longtime leader of the Independent Power Producers of New York. Donohue has advocated for fairness in any state carbon cap proposals, noting that many power plants are already in regional carbon programs. He would also like to see the state invest more in workforce development as part of the clean energy transition.
31. Clint Halftown
While the U.S. Department of the Interior recognized the Clint Halftown-led Council as the official governing body of the Cayuga Nation, other parts of the federal government did not follow suit until just recently. This summer, Halftown announced an agreement with the U.S. Department of Justice for recognition of his governance over the nation, resolving a lawsuit filed last year and recognizing that internal leadership disputes had been worked out years ago. The agreement calls on the Department of Justice to defer to the Department of the Interior, which oversees the Bureau of Indian Affairs, on recognizing tribal governance.
32. Beth Finkel
New York’s top advocate for those over the age of 50, Beth Finkel is a force to be reckoned with in Albany and New York City. Finkel, who represents 2.2 million AARP members in New York, called out Gov. Kathy Hochul for a budget proposal this year that did not address senior issues and praised New York City officials for a budget that put more funding into initiatives for the aging. In her time, Finkel has issued various reports and passed major state legislation to help seniors and championed New York’s master plan for the aging.
33. Stephen Acquario
Corrections and probation issues are of chief importance to Stephen Acquario and the New York State Association of Counties. Acquario argues that the state did not provide enough notice or have conversations with Washington County officials over the closure of the Great Meadow Correctional Facility, which could have negative effects on the local economy. The county association is also raising concerns over the increasing shift of services to county probation departments by the state without any increase in state aid.
34. Mary Wilson
A self-proclaimed lover of Buffalo and Western New York, Mary Wilson is in a unique position to do a lot to improve the region. The widow of late Buffalo Bills owner Ralph Wilson, she is now life trustee of the $1.2 billion Ralph C. Wilson Jr. Foundation, whose mission is to address issues in Western New York and Michigan. Recent accomplishments include transforming the Ralph Wilson Centennial Park in Buffalo, supporting an expansion of the Strong National Museum of Play in Rochester and funding the new Ralph C. Wilson Jr. Welcome Center at Niagara Falls State Park.
35. Dennis McKenna
Dennis McKenna has been sounding the alarm about the health care workforce shortage, noting that while recruitment and retention of staff is ongoing, it can be an “uphill battle” in rural areas. An emergency room physician and former U.S. Navy doctor who was promoted to Albany Med’s top post in 2019, McKenna has said that a key area for staffing is emergency rooms in order to reduce wait times. His sprawling hospital system has more than 100 locations across 25 counties with a staff of 16,000.
36. Mindy Rich
Food conglomerate Rich Holdings was built on the cream puff, but that cream puff has led to so much more – including being at the forefront of a growing film and television industry in Buffalo. Mindy Rich and her husband, Bob, teamed up with a film production company in 2020 to create a film studio on land across from their corporate headquarters on Buffalo’s west side. Rich sees the new studio as an economic anchor and engine for the neighborhood, generating traffic almost 24 hours a day.
37. April Baskin
to trade her chair in Erie County Hall for one in the state Capitol. Baskin, the chair of the Erie County Legislature since 2019, is the Democratic nominee for the state Senate seat vacated by Rep. Tim Kennedy, who filled Brian Higgins’ old seat in Congress. If elected, Baskin would become the first Black woman to represent the Buffalo area in the state Senate. As a county lawmaker, she helped small-business owners during the coronavirus pandemic and secured a community benefits agreement with the Buffalo Bills.
38. David O’Rourke
David O’Rourke is presiding over the remaking of New York’s horse racing sector for the 21st century. A critical task for O’Rourke is the renovation of Belmont Park, a project that relies on a $455 million state loan. The ongoing work caused the Belmont Stakes to be moved to the Saratoga Race Course this year, which generated an estimated $50 million in economic impact for Saratoga County, even before the annual 40-day racing season kicked off. The Belmont Stakes will continue in Saratoga next year as construction is expected to last through 2026.
39. Casey Seiler
The editor of the newspaper of record in New York’s capital city, Casey Seiler is in a position to help set the agenda for the city and the state. In over two decades with the Times Union, Seiler has been Capitol bureau chief, managing editor and entertainment editor, and he has established himself one of the top reporters covering state government. Prior to making his way to Albany, Seiler worked at the Jackson Hole Guide in Wyoming and the Burlington Free Press in Vermont.
40. Sarah Mangelsdorf
Sarah Mangelsdorf embarked on her second five-year term as president of the University of Rochester this year, with the school’s board of trustees praising her successful efforts in strengthening its medical center, increasing fundraising, navigating the university through the COVID-19 pandemic and appointing its first vice president for community partnerships. Mangelsdorf has outlined a vision for the next five years that includes expanding the university’s research base and increasing the size of the student body.
41. Harvey Stenger
In the 12 years since Harvey Stenger joined Binghamton University from the University at Buffalo, the trained engineer has charted a greener future for the Southern Tier. He has made the SUNY school a leader in economic development in the region, including the creation of the New Energy New York project, which is positioning the region as a player in the battery storage industry amid a clean energy transition. He is also supporting new artificial intelligence initiatives as part of Gov. Kathy Hochul’s Empire AI consortium.
42. Michael Elmendorf
If Michael Elmendorf had his way, every one of New York’s bridges would be in pristine condition and there would be no potholes – but he’s not there yet. The powerful advocate for the state’s contractors is warning that inflation has cost the state an additional $4.4 billion in spending on infrastructure materials while citing a recent state report rating 1 in 10 local bridges in poor condition. Elmendorf is also seeking to bolster the state’s construction workforce, including connecting students with training.
43. Melissa Autillo Fleischut
In the post-pandemic era, Melissa Autillo Fleischut is steadfastly supporting New York’s rebounding restaurant industry. Fleischut’s priorities for 2024 were reforming the state’s alcohol laws, including an extension of the pandemic-era law allowing cocktails to go, with the NYSRA chief saying the five-year extension will be good for the restaurant industry. She is supportive of a new program from the state Agriculture and Health Departments to post food allergy information in restaurants.
44. Corey Ellis, Helen Hudson & Miguel Meléndez Jr.
Albany Common Council President Corey Ellis has established himself as a key leader both inside and outside of City Hall. He serves as the upstate political director for the New York State Nurses Association and also presides over the Common Council, where he has co-authored the city’s equality agenda and police reform legislation. Ellis recently led the council in passing legislation to reduce the city’s speed limit.
There has been a change atop the Syracuse Common Council this year, with Helen Hudson giving up the majority leader’s job due to a medical issue, but retaining her role as president. Hudson has assumed a seat on a new board tasked with implementing the city’s housing strategy and joined other city leaders in seeking continued federal funding for high-speed internet accessibility.
Creating more affordable housing and rehabbing the existing housing stock top Miguel Meléndez Jr.’s agenda in his role as president of the Rochester City Council. With the growth of the semiconductor industry upstate and the creation of a federal tech hub between Rochester, Syracuse and Buffalo, Meléndez wants to address workforce development to train Rochestarians for jobs in the sector.
45. Frederick Kowal
Frederick Kowal is an influential labor leader in not just the higher education sector, but in health care as well. Kowal, who represents faculty and staff in the State University of New York system, is a staunch defender of SUNY Downstate Medical Center in Brooklyn, criticizing any plans by state officials to close or change the scope of the medical center. During this year’s budget debate, Kowal organized rallies to push for lawmakers to restore cuts proposed by the governor and expressed concerns over deficits at SUNY Potsdam and SUNY Canton.
46. Colleen Wegman
No supermarket is more beloved upstate than Wegmans, a Rochester-based company led by Colleen Wegman. The longtime president took over as CEO this year from her father, Danny, who remains chair of the family business that has stores from upstate New York down to Northern Virginia. During her career, Colleen Wegman has been a store manager, overseen merchandising and e-commerce, and has developed the organics department. Wegmans recently topped Fortune’s Best Workplaces in Retail list.
47. David Munson
David Munson is set to wrap up his tenure at the helm of the Rochester Institute of Technology in June 2025. The former engineering dean at the University of Michigan, Munson will retire after an eventful eight years leading RIT, which is known for its computing and engineering programs. Munson’s time in Rochester has included increasing the student body, raising $1 billion for the Transforming RIT initiative, launching a new performing arts program and expanding the school’s international campuses. Munson said he plans to remain hands-on throughout his final year as president.
48. Donald Boyd
After a quarter century of working in increasingly senior roles at Kaleida Health, Donald Boyd took over the system’s top spot in 2022. This year, Kaleida reached a deal with Gov. Kathy Hochul and Brooks-TLC HospitalSystem to build a new hospital in Fredonia, replacing the existing one in Dunkirk. The agreement ends eight years of debate and delivers $74 million in state funding for the project, which is considered critical for health care in rural Chautauqua, Cattaraugus and Erie counties. Kaleida Health is the largest health care provider in Western New York.
49. Thomas Quatroche
For many health care executives, running the Erie County Medical Center Corp. would be enough to stay busy. Yet Thomas Quatroche keeps finding other ways to support Western New York, whether it’s joining the state’s Medicaid Redesign Team, chairing the Healthcare Association of New York State’s executive committee or serving on the board of the Erie County Stadium Corp., which is overseeing construction of the new Buffalo Bills stadium. On Quatroche’s watch, ECMC has opened a new emergency department, boosted staffing and earned national recognition for its medical intensive care unit and orthopedic care.
50. Sheila Rayam
The first Black executive editor of The Buffalo News, Sheila Rayam is also the second woman to lead the newspaper in New York’s second-largest city. Rayam brings plenty of experience to her work in Buffalo, having served as executive editor of Gannett’s operations in the Mohawk Valley, including the Utica Observer-Dispatch. She also spent over six years as the community engagement editor of the Rochester Democrat & Chronicle. Among her priorities for the paper are increasing community engagement as well as digital coverage.
51. Alison Esposito, John Mannion & Josh Riley
Democratic state Sen. John Mannion is looking to relocate from Albany to Washington, D.C., as he challenges Rep. Brandon Williams in one of the most hotly contested congressional races in the country. The chair of the state Senate Disabilities Committee, Mannion has been touting his support for abortion rights, his legislative work in Albany on growing the chip and semiconductor economy in Central New York, and growth of the clean energy industry. The district includes Syracuse, Utica and the Mohawk Valley.
Many Binghamton-area natives have some sort of familial tie to IBM or the Endicott-Johnson Shoe Co. Josh Riley is no different, with relatives having worked in both historic anchors of the region’s economy. The Democrat is now challenging Rep. Marc Molinaro in a sprawling district that extends from Ithaca and Binghamton in the west to the Massachusetts border in the east. In what is currently the most expensive House race nationally at $35 million and counting for both sides, Riley has focused on abortion rights and border security.
It is not everyday that a former New York City Police Department precinct commander becomes a notable upstate politician, but NYPD veteran Alison Esposito is the Republican nominee for Congress in a district that includes parts of upstate. The 2022 Republican lieutenant governor nominee is now challenging Rep. Pat Ryan, laying out an agenda of economic growth, restoring the state and local tax deduction, fully funding the military and reducing crime.
52. Harold Iselin & Hank Greenberg
Harold Iselin and Hank Greenberg bring deep experience in the inner workings of state government to their work at legal powerhouse Greenberg Traurig. Greenberg is a former federal prosecutor who has served as counsel to the state attorney general and the lieutenant governor, as well as general counsel in the state Department of Health. He is also a past president of the New York State Bar Association and current counsel to the state Commission on Judicial Nomination, where he helps to vet potential appointees to the state Court of Appeals, New York’s highest court. In the wake of the Oct. 7 attacks in Israel, Greenberg traveled to the firm’s Tel Aviv office and provided legal assistance to Israel. Iselin is the managing shareholder of the firm’s Albany office and the co-chair of the firm’s government law and public policy practice, where he represents clients before state government. The health policy expert has been an attorney with the U.S. Department of Justice and is a former assistant counsel in the governor’s office.
53. Jeremy Zellner
Jeremy Zellner has Western New York Democrats flexing their political muscle. Zellner guided Erie County Executive Mark Poloncarz to a historic fourth term, making his longtime ally Erie County’s longest-serving leader. He navigated the resignation of former Rep. Brian Higgins to secure a seamless transition as former state Sen. Tim Kennedy moved up to take the seat. Zellner’s statewide profile continues to grow, as the first upstate party leader to be the hometown chair of a governor in generations.
54. Ashley Ranslow
Ashley Ranslow is the leading advocate for New York’s small-business community, representing more than 11,000 small and independent businesses across the state. She is celebrating a number of recent wins, successfully pushing for the repeal of the state’s COVID-19 sick leave measure while making progress in combating retail theft. Ranslow is also focused on workers’ compensation, reducing insurance fraud, restoring solvency to the unemployment insurance fund and addressing regulatory reform.
55. William Barclay & Rob Ortt
Republicans are mired in the minority in the state Legislature, but Assembly Member William Barclay and state Sen. Rob Ortt do their best to counter New York’s Democratic supermajorities. Barclay, the Assembly minority leader, led his party in an unsuccessful effort to require local law enforcement to inform federal immigration officials about migrant arrests and this year assembled a child care affordability package. Ortt, the state Senate minority leader, wants to expand the state’s veterans tuition assistance program to noncombat veterans and is an outspoken critic of Gov. Kathy Hochul and other Democrats. The duo does have the power to appoint members to a variety of state boards, including the Beginning Farmer Advisory Board on Agriculture’s advisory committee, the Small Business Investment Company board, the School Bus Driver Safety Training Council, the Climate Action Council and the Carpet Stewardship Advisory Board.
56. Billy Jones, Anna Kelles, Demond Meeks & Jonathan Rivera
New York Canada Relations Task Force Chair Billy Jones serves as the Assembly’s ambassador to Canada. The North Country Democrat has held meetings with Canadian officials on border issues, and last fall, he led a bipartisan delegation to Ottawa and Montreal for meetings with Canada’s deputy foreign minister, business leaders and members of Parliament.
Agricultural Production and Technology Subcommittee Chair Anna Kelles has established herself as an upstate progressive. She has called on Ithaca to implement “good cause” eviction, is sponsoring legislation to reduce fashion industry waste and protested the opening of a REI outdoor store in Ithaca saying the company is not union-friendly.
Insurer Investments and Market Practices in Underserved Areas Subcommittee Chair Demond Meeks is another progressive voice in Albany. The Rochester Democrat has sponsored the progressive income tax, helped pass the Clean Slate Act and worked to increase gun violence prevention funding.
Regional Tourism Development Subcommittee Chair Jonathan Rivera is tackling artificial intelligence. The Buffalo Democrat is sponsoring legislation to require booksellers to disclose if parts of books were created with AI. He is also co-sponsoring legislation to do away with early and legacy admissions for college.
57. Tom Connolly, Justin Berhaupt, Samara Daly, Bill McCarthy Jr., John D. McCarthy & Kathleen Achibar-Boyd
At lobbying powerhouse Bolton-St. Johns, Kathleen Archibar-Boyd, Tom Connolly, Justin Berhaupt, Samara Daly, Bill McCarthy Jr. and John D. McCarthy serve an array of upstate clients. Connolly is one of the state’s foremost authorities on health care finance and policy, bringing experience as the former director of the Council on Health Care Financing and as the top state lobbyist for the influential Greater New York Hospital Association. Berhaupt started his career in the state Legislature, holding key roles in the state Senate and serving as counsel to the state attorney general, a role in which he targeted the opioid crisis. Daly has a background working across the state, from her earlier career in the New York City Council speaker’s office to helping MWBE firms around New York secure government contracts. Bill McCarthy Jr. is a former attorney with the New York Racing Association and staffer at the state Legislature and state attorney general’s office. John D. McCarthy brings to his work invaluable insights as a former staffer in the governor’s office and as a corporate attorney. Achibar-Boyd, a Long Island native, went to college in Western New York and cut her teeth in reelecting Buffalo City Court Judge Betty Calvo-Torres, now a state Court of Claims judge. She has worked for U.S. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and Assembly Majority Leader Crystal Peoples-Stokes.
58. Mantosh Dewan
Mantosh Dewan is not just educating future doctors at SUNY Upstate Medical University in Syracuse, he is creating jobs at the region’s top employer while developing the pipeline of new medical personnel across New York. Dewan was chosen by SUNY Chancellor John King to serve on a new task force developing a path forward to address shortages in the medical workforce. Dewan also partnered with SUNY College of Optometry on a new extension campus in Syracuse to address a shortage of eye care doctors and opened the five-story Nappi Wellness Institute.
59. Alexander Betke
A former Coxsackie town supervisor, Alexander Betke brings a wealth of experience across local and state government to the services he provides at the top-ranked lobbying firm Brown & Weinraub. His practice focuses on municipal law and government relations, and Betke’s clients include the village of Kiryas Joel, the town of Ramapo, Bard College, McDonald’s USA, Volvo Group North America, the New York State Dental Association, BAE Systems, Boston Beer Company, GEICO and Halmar International.
60. Howard Zemsky
Howard Zemsky is on a mission to revitalize Buffalo, and he’ll even move a diner to do it. In the two decades since buying his first building – the Larkin Co. Terminal Warehouse – Zemsky has transformed the surrounding neighborhood into Larkinville, one of the most talked-about areas in Buffalo. He even restored and transported an old diner from Newark, New York, to Larkinville. Tenants at Zemsky’s signature building, Larkin at Exchange, include U.S. Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand’s Buffalo office and the Northeast headquarters of KeyBank.
61. Deanna Fox
While the national image of New York’s economy is of gleaming Manhattan skyscrapers and bankers power walking between meetings, that’s only part of it. Beyond the downstate metropolis, farmers keep the state humming – and they have a new advocate in Deanna Fox, who took over the New York Farm Bureau in May. The bureau scored a big win this legislative session with passage of their top priority bill to allow intrastate and interstate shipping of New York-produced spirits, cider and mead.
62. Sanjay Mehrotra
Perhaps no project is more poised to transform Central New York than the new Micron Technology plant in the Syracuse suburb of Clay, as the $100 billion project is expected to create 50,000 jobs and will include $500 million in community investment. Micron Technology President and CEO Sanjay Mehrotra is seeing Wall Street respond well to growth within the company, with higher-than-expected fourth quarter earnings in a recent report, which sent stock prices surging. Mehrotra said the earnings are due to the high demand for technology related to artificial intelligence.
63. Tom King
In some states, leaders of National Rifle Association affiliates wield tremendous power in the state Capitol. New York is not one of those states, but Tom King presses on in advocating for the Second Amendment and gun owners in Albany – and in Washington, D.C., where the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in his favor in the landmark New York State Rifle & Pistol Association v. Bruen case in 2022. He has been vocally opposed to legislation requiring financial institutions to track gun and ammunition purchases, calling it a “bogus attempt to try to shame gun owners.”
64. Andrew Kennedy, Evan Sullivan & Jay Holland
Andrew Kennedy, Evan Sullivan and Jay Holland have been advocating effectively for their clients and having an impact on upstate New York through their work at Ostroff Associates. Kennedy was actively involved in the site selection of the Elmira suburb of Horseheads as the location for Siemens’ new high-speed rail car facility. The facility will make the nation’s first high-speed rail cars that will debut on a new line connecting Las Vegas to Los Angeles. Sullivan played a key role in passing legislation to provide patients with access to lifesaving medications. An expert in health policy, Sullivan works with clients in the realm of public health, mental health and developmental disabilities. New York’s dairy farmers may now be saying “Rock Chalk Jay Holland” as the University of Kansas grad played a key role in passage of a new state tax credit program for farmers who are now subject to new overtime payment rules. He also represents the Anheuser-Busch brewery in the Syracuse suburb of Baldwinsville, which is the state’s largest.
65. Paul DerOhannesian II
Paul DerOhannesian II is not just a legal powerhouse in the Capital Region, but a key advocate for New York’s children. A former leader of the Albany County District Attorney’s Office’s special assault unit, he has been a legal analyst for regional and national media and has provided policymakers and government agencies with expertise, including the U.S. Attorney General’s Commission on Pornography, the state Commission of Investigation and the U.S. Advisory Board on Child Abuse and Neglect. He notched a recent legal victory representing a Rensselaer County official who was indicted for conspiring to obtain and cast fake absentee ballots during the 2021 election but was ultimately acquitted.
66. Lisa Marrello
As a partner at Albany lobbying powerhouse Park Strategies, Lisa Marrello uses her depth of experience to help her clients navigate Albany. A former counsel and chief of staff to an Assembly Housing Committee chair, Marrello also worked for New York City, representing key city agencies, including the police and fire departments, in Albany. Marrello recently marked five years with Park Strategies and was named to the Albany Business Review Power 50 this year.
67. Keith Kimball
Dairy is a significant part of New York’s agricultural sector, and Keith Kimball is a top advocate for the industry. The dairy farmer from Livingston County praised Gov. Kathy Hochul and state lawmakers for adopting the Farm Employer Overtime Credit in this year’s state budget, which will provide tax credits for farms to cover the costs of overtime. Kimball was also supportive of budget funding for soil and water districts around the state and for Cornell University’s agriculture programs.
68. Bart Franey
National Grid is planning to invest $4 billion in upgrading energy delivery – and help spur economic growth in upstate New York. The utility’s Upstate Upgrade initiative aims to complete 70 projects by 2030 across the region and add a projected $1.9 billion in economic growth during and after construction. Bart Franey, National Grid’s vice president for clean energy development, is helping spearhead the initiative for the company, which boasts 20 million customers across New York and Massachusetts.
69. Melanie Littlejohn
In nearly 30 years at National Grid, including as vice president for customer and community engagement, Melanie Littlejohn established herself as a civic and business leader in the region. In March, she took the helm of the Central New York Community Foundation with the goal of deepening its community impact. Littlejohn has also been a student mentor at Syracuse University and co-chaired the committee guiding Micron Technology’s community investment in Central New York as the technology company builds a major new upstate operation.
70. Christopher Jagel
Western New York legal powerhouse Harris Beach is expanding its presence not only across New York but the broader Northeast U.S. Christopher Jagel, Harris Beach’s CEO since 2017, recently announced a merger between the firm and Hartford, Connecticut-based Murtha Cullina, creating a new 250-attorney firm. Murtha Cullina, a business law firm, has offices in Massachusetts and Connecticut, along with White Plains. Harris Beach has nine offices across New York, along with offices in Washington, D.C., New Jersey and Connecticut. On Jagel’s watch, the firm has also expanded into new frontiers like cybersecurity.
71. Christopher Duryea
Don’t ever underestimate the person managing phone banks and ordering food for election night, because you never know when they’ll emerge as a leading New York lobbyist. Christopher Duryea, a veteran of the U.S. Navy submarine service, started his career as office manager for Onondaga County Democrats and rose through the ranks of New York politics to his role as managing partner at Statewide Public Affairs. Statewide clients include TikTok, Hallmark Cards, Coca-Cola, Comcast and the New York State Town Clerks Association.
72. Barbara Van Epps
Barbara Van Epps represents every mayor in the state, from New York City’s Eric Adams to Gene Fuller, mayor of the 208-person village of Smyrna. Van Epps, an organization veteran, took over as executive director last year. Before, Van Epps worked on local government issues at the state Division of the Budget. Van Epps praised Gov. Kathy Hochul’s budget proposal this year, saying the governor shared the same priorities as local government leaders, and that those goals could be achieved through a strong partnership between state and local leaders.
73. Hamdi Ulukaya
Sometimes you need something to wash the yogurt down, and Hamdi Ulukaya thinks he has the answer to that. The founder and CEO of Chenango County-based yogurt giant Chobani has expanded his business empire this year buying Anchor Brewing, the nation’s oldest brewery. The San Francisco beer company went out of business last year, giving Ulukaya the challenge of bringing back the business and making it profitable. Last year, Chobani also purchased coffee company La Colombe, where Ulukaya relaunched the company’s canned draft lattes.
74. Matthew Leonardo & Elena DeFio Kean
At Hinman Straub, Matthew Leonardo and Elena DeFio Kean bring the legal firepower to help their clients navigate some of the most complex parts of government and law. Having spent four years at the state Department of Health as the lead attorney for health care finance, Leonardo is an expert on the topic. He was also the primary legislative drafter of the department’s budget. Leonardo was previously an assistant counsel for the Legislative Bill Drafting Commission. Kean specializes in employment law, public employee law and municipal law. She works with local government clients on a number of matters, including in employment issues, union negotiations and civil service issues. Kean also has expertise on open meetings and Freedom of Information laws.
75. Morgan Hook
Morgan Hook has plenty of experience when it comes to communications, Albany and higher education. After serving as communications director for former Gov. David Paterson and SUNY’s top spokesperson, Hook helped to launch the Albany office of SKDK in 2011. Hook capitalized on his deep knowledge of the region and the higher education sector to help pass the creation of Empire AI, part of Gov. Kathy Hochul’s ambitious artificial intelligence agenda, in this year’s budget. Empire AI, a consortium of universities across the state, will be based out of the University at Buffalo.
76. Marc Buncher
Angelenos heading to Las Vegas could soon take high-speed rail – and ride in cars made in the Elmira suburb of Horseheads. In September, Siemens Mobility North America President and CEO Marc Buncher teamed up with U.S. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and Brightline West, the operators of the southern California high-speed rail, to announce that North America’s first high-speed rail facility will be run by Siemens in Horseheads, bringing 300 jobs to the Elmira region and likely more projects in the future.
77. Michael Keroullé
Step on to a train car in the United States, and there’s likely a connection to upstate New York. Alstom churns out train cars for major clients like the Metropolitan Transportation Authority at facilities in Hornell in the Southern Tier. The French company has filed a lawsuit against the federal government over a “buy American” provision for a new high-speed train connecting Los Angeles and Las Vegas, arguing Alstom’s work in Hornell should also be considered American.
78. Oliver Kardos & Michael McMahon
Oliver Kardos and Michael McMahon are in a key position to promote economic development in upstate New York. The pair oversee KeyBank’s involvement in vital programs to grow the upstate economy, including Kardos’ role overseeing lending related to the U.S. Small Business Administration. McMahon is the bank’s Buffalo market president and regional commercial banking executive for upstate. McMahon assumed the second title last year as a reorganization of the bank’s upstate commercial group.
79. Lola Brabham
more than 100 independent colleges and universities in New York. Brabham has pushed for increasing student aid from the Tuition Assistance Program by raising the income limit from $80,000 to $125,000 and increasing the minimum award from $500 to $1,000, while also successfully pushing to block proposed cuts to tuition programs. Brabham also took the lead in guiding independent colleges through the COVID-19 pandemic.
80. Dennis Vacco
The last Buffaloian elected to statewide office before Gov. Kathy Hochul, former state Attorney General Dennis Vacco has established himself as a pillar of the Western New York legal community after an illustrious career in the public sector. Vacco is now a partner at Lippes Mathias, where he is co-leader of the firm’s government and corporate investigations practice. Vacco, who also served as U.S. attorney for the Western District of New York, advises clients on matters involving state attorneys general around the country as well as government investigations and compliance.
81. Connie Cahill & Melissa Bennett
Barclay Damon’s Connie Cahill and Melissa Bennett are adept at navigating the intricacies of public finance law and bonds in New York. Cahill, managing partner at Barclay Damon, is a leading public finance expert, counseling over 100 municipalities and school districts in the state on bond issues. Cahill has advised bond issuers with the top state bond issuing agencies and has expertise in developing creative financing solutions. Bennett, a partner at the firm, serves as bond counsel to the state Housing Finance Agency and helps craft plans to finance affordable housing, including for $300 million in projects in Kings, Ulster and Bronx counties. Bennett regularly serves as a bond counsel to the Dormitory Authority of the State of New York on bonds related to school district financing.
82. Joyce Markiewicz
Joyce Markiewicz leads a major health provider that includes 75 health care centers across Western New York, including seven hospitals. Markiewicz recently welcomed Monica Taylor as the president of Catholic Health’s Physician Enterprise and Thomas Hughes as the senior senior vice president and chief medical officer of Physician Enterprise. A nurse and the first woman to lead Catholic Health, Markiewicz has made financial stability a top priority for the group as she resolves recent budget issues. At Mercy Hospital in Buffalo, Catholic Health recently launched a new program to support breastfeeding mothers.
83. Douglas Dimitroff
Buffalo-based Phillips Lytle has established itself as a leading law firm in the state, and Douglas Dimitroff is maintaining its status as a legal powerhouse. Dimitroff, who succeeded Kevin Hogan as managing partner at the beginning of the year, is a telecommunications attorney who had previously led the firm’s Washington, D.C., and Albany offices. He chairs Invest Buffalo Niagara, an economic development group, and is a past chair of the model code for municipalities working group of the Federal Communications Commission’s broadband deployment advisory committee.
84. Tonja Williams Knight
Tonja Williams Knight celebrated rising math and reading scores for Buffalo children in recent years. This includes a jump from 33% to 40% in reading proficiency for third graders between last school year and the one prior and a 13% to 21% rise in math proficiency. In her annual State of the Schools address, Williams Knight said that new education programs for 3-year-olds, a new financial literacy program and new safety measures for athletic events top her agenda. Williams Knight has defended a reshuffling of principals and assistant principals, saying the changes are necessary to balance school needs with administrator qualifications.
85. Ashley Walden
Not every governor gets to pick a ski resort and bobsledding chief, but Gov. Kathy Hochul did when she selected Ashley Walden to run the Olympic Regional Development Authority last year. Walden’s agency manages the sites of the 1980 Winter Olympics in Lake Placid, which still has a $341.8 million economic impact on the state. Walden, a former Olympic luger, is beginning a new $90 million round of capital projects and is competing with Austrian and Swiss venues to host part of the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan.
86. Robert Loughney
A top-ranked energy law attorney with over three decades of experience, Robert Loughney brings deep experience in the industry as he represents clients before such entities as the state Public Service Commission, New York Independent System Operator and the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission. With the transformation of the state’s energy systems a top priority for policymakers, Loughney’s expertise is in demand. Loughney’s clients include New York City, Capital Region industrial and commercial energy consumers, and energy developers in the heat, power and renewable energy sectors.
87. Joseph Stefko
Federal and state officials are all in on the semiconductor industry, which is why the NY Smart I-Corridor Tech Hub between Buffalo, Rochester and Syracuse recently secured federal funding and designation as a regional tech hub. OneROC, an economic development alliance led by Joseph Stefko, is a co-leader of the tech corridor. Originally founded as ROC2025, the group rebranded as OneROC this summer. Stefko also chairs the Partnership for Downtown Rochester and is president of the University at Buffalo Alumni Association.
88. Stephen Turkovich
The Kansas City Chiefs have Taylor Swift, but the John R. Oishei Children’s Hospital counts the Buffalo Bills as its biggest supporters. Bills quarterback Josh Allen continues to use his cereal and coffee line to raise funds for the downtown Buffalo hospital. Fisher Price, based in the Buffalo suburb of East Aurora, also donated $1.3 million to the hospital, funded by its Bills-themed Little People toys. Presiding over the use of this influx of funds is Stephen Turkovich, a native Buffalonian and pediatrician who took over the hospital in 2022 after eight years as chief medical officer.
89. Henry Wojtaszek
Don’t cry for Henry Wojtaszek, Batavia. While the longtime Western New York Republican power player is relinquishing the presidency of Western Regional Off-Track Betting, he’s doing so with a buyout of one year’s salary at $264,000. The departure comes after the state overhauled the OTB board from a rural Republican dominated one to a Democratic-controlled panel this year. Wojtaszek, a former elected North Tonawanda city attorney, is reportedly looking to run for the city’s mayoralty next year. Wojtaszek’s wife, brother and sister are all Western New York judges.
90. Nick Paro & Chris Ryan
Democrat Chris Ryan and Republican Nick Paro are facing off in a competitive state Senate race to succeed Democratic state Sen. John Mannion, who is seeking a congressional seat this fall. Ryan, the minority leader of the Onondaga County Legislature and president of Communications Workers of America Local 1123, has been leaning into his union background, highlighting his focus on workforce development and his efforts in county government to bring Micron Technology to Central New York. Paro, the Salina town supervisor, is emphasizing affordability and public safety, and highlighted his local government record of blocking New York City from sending migrants to the region. As supervisor, Paro has said that the state should repay the town for any losses caused by the rebuilding of I-81, which currently intersects with the New York State Thruway in a commercial part of Salina. Mannion won the Senate district, which has more Republicans than Democrats, by a mere 10 votes in 2022.
91. Julie LaFave
Julie LaFave better like butter sculptures and sausage sandwiches, because they are now a big part of her life in Central New York. Gov. Kathy Hochul chose LaFave as the new State Fair director in July after LaFave served as the fair’s interim director and as its operations director. A former Syracuse parks commissioner, LaFave unveiled new vendors and attractions for her first fair this summer, including the fair’s first sensory room. LaFave succeeded Sean Hennessey, who was appointed in 2023 and left for a state Labor Department post.
92. Jill Luther
A key issue in many rural communities is high-speed internet connectivity, and Charter Communications has been hard at work on improving underlying infrastructure. Jill Luther is paving the path for further broadband investments by cultivating Charter’s relationships with leaders in Albany. The former state Senate staffer develops and implements strategies for Charter’s work in state government. Luther also serves on the board of the American Red Cross Eastern New York Region.
93. Mark Blue
Mark Blue advocates for some of Buffalo’s most impoverished communities, including the area near the site of the tragic Tops supermarket shooting in East Buffalo. Blue chaired the committee to create a memorial to the shooting victims and has been pushing for increased investment in the neighborhood. Blue is pastor of Second Baptist Church and chair of the committee monitoring community investments from the Buffalo Bills stadium project. The civil rights leader also serves as a board member of Erie County Medical Center, Niagara Frontier Transportation Authority and Erie County Industrial Development Authority.
94. Benjamin Zuffrainieri Jr.
Benjamin Zuffrainieri Jr. took over as managing partner at Hodgson Russ, a Western New York legal powerhouse founded over two centuries ago, in February 2022. Late last year, Zuffrainieri presided over an expansion of the firm’s Rochester operation by merging in 10 litigators from the dissolved firm Ward Greenberg. He is an expert in construction law and international law, and prior to taking on the top spot in the firm, he headed Hodgson Russ’ business litigation and construction practices. The firm also has offices in Toronto, Florida and North Carolina.
95. Justin Wilcox
A former Monroe County legislator, state legislative staffer and small-business owner, Justin Wilcox is a natural champion of the upstate economy. As of late, he has been raising the alarm about the growth of the financial sector in Dallas relative to New York City, saying that it exemplifies local affordability issues. He praised lawmakers this year for not passing the NY HEAT Act or a corporate franchise tax. Wilcox also wants to overhaul state climate goals to prioritize increased use of nuclear energy, efficiencies for natural gas plants and more hybrid vehicles.
96. Ben Parsons
After a decade of advocating on behalf of New York’s civil service employees, Ben Parsons moved over to Anheuser-Busch last year to lead the famed beer maker’s efforts in New York, New Jersey and New England. Anheuser-Busch operates a brewery in the Syracuse suburb of Baldwinsville, which is New York’s largest brewery, as well as a canning facility in Newburgh. Parsons is responsible for all state-level lobbying and community engagement for the company, which has more than 400 employees at its Central New York brewery and nearly 250 at its canning facility.
97. Noa Conger Simons
Economic development is a top issue in upstate New York, and Noa Conger Simons is a key facilitator in connecting entrepreneurs to the capital they need. As head of the Upstate Capital Association of New York, she brings together venture capital, private equity and other business leaders to grow investment. Through Invest NY, the association maps out the investment and innovation ecosystem while its nonprofit arm, the Capital Foundation, works directly with entrepreneurs. Meanwhile, the association’s New York Business Plan Competition assists student entrepreneurs.
98. Gladys Cruz
Superintendents of schools have complex jobs: navigating local and state politics, managing budgets and facility issues, negotiating labor contracts, running athletic departments, delivering a quality education for students and dealing with parents, politicians, taxpayers and other stakeholders who all believe they know what’s best. Gladys Cruz, who runs the Questar III BOCES in the Albany area, spent a year representing her fellow school district leaders as president of AASA, The School Superintendents Association, where she focused on preparing up-and-coming school leaders.
99. Joseph Burns
The national law firm Holtzman Vogel moved into New York this year with the hiring of Buffalo-based election attorney Joseph Burns. Burns, a former treasurer of the New York Republican State Committee, has represented a number of upstate Republicans, including Reps. Nick Langworthy, Claudia Tenney and Elise Stefanik. Burns previously served as deputy director of the state Board of Elections and secretary of the Erie County Water Authority, where he is now deputy administrative director.
100. Maryalice Demler
A former French teacher and a past Miss New York, Maryalice Demler is now one of the few women who can give Gov. Kathy Hochul competition for the title of “most famous woman in Western New York.” The longtime WGRZ-TV news anchor is seeing her portfolio grow, expanding to a fourth newscast daily. Her influence in Western New York goes beyond being the region’s main newscaster, serving on a number of civic boards and as a trustee of Niagara University.
Correction: An earlier version of this post misspelled the name of Elena DeFio Kean at Hinman Straub. This post has also been updated with the correct name of the labor union United University Professions.
NEXT STORY: The 2024 NYC 40 Under 40