Orange County Executive Steve Neuhaus began his term as President of the NYS County Executives’ Association (NYSCEA) Tuesday. Neuhaus replaces the Association’s outgoing president Erie County Executive Mark Poloncarz.
NYSCEA is an affiliate of the New York State Association of Counties (NYSAC) and represents the 19 counties that have county executives as their chief elected official. These counties, including the City of New York, represent 16.7 million New Yorkers.
“I’m honored to have been chosen to lead this great organization at such a critical time for New York’s counties and the residents we serve,” said Neuhaus. “Around the state, counties are grappling with a wide array of issues from migration to Medicaid. As president, I’ll have the opportunity to push for innovative and common-sense solutions to these challenges that will benefit the residents of Orange County and counties across the New York State.”
“County Executive Neuhaus has a proven record of leadership and service to Orange County and to our nation,” said NYSAC President and Albany County Executive Daniel P. McCoy. “We’re proud to welcome his service to the Association and look forward to working alongside NYSCEA to give voice to the interests of New York’s counties.”
Neuhaus serves in the U.S. Navy Reserves as a Commander, assigned to the Office of the Naval Inspector General. During his tenure as Orange County Executive, he was deployed to Iraq on active-duty orders in 2018, and again to Europe in 2022 to assist with the U.S response to the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
Neuhaus is Orange County’s sixth County Executive since the office was established in 1970. As County Executive, Neuhaus has focused on revitalizing Orange County’s economic development, enhancing its public health and safety, while improving its infrastructure and stabilizing its budget.
A life-long Orange County resident and the son of immigrants, Neuhaus was sworn into office on January 1, 2014, after having served as the Town of Chester’s Supervisor for six years. He was re-elected for a second four-year term as County Executive in November of 2017. He was also elected recently to serve on the Board of Directors of the New York State Association of Counties (NYSAC) at the Association’s Fall Seminar conference in Erie County.
“We are honored to have County Executive Neuhaus take on this vital leadership position with the County Executives’ Association. His leadership, vision and experience will be incredibly valuable to our members and the New Yorkers they serve,” said NYSCEA Executive Director Stephen Acquario.
County Executive Neuhaus will serve a one-year term as president. Broome County Executive Jason Garnar is the President-Elect.
