Robert J. Gaffney
Encyclopedia
Robert J. Gaffney was the sixth County Executive
of Suffolk County
, New York
. First elected in 1991, he served through 2003. Since 2006 he has been president of Dowling College
.
Born and educated in New York City
, he received a Bachelor of Science
degree in Business from Fordham University
School of Business in 1965 and a J.D.
from Fordham University School of Law
in 1969. After working as a Special Agent
with the Federal Bureau of Investigation
, Gaffney moved to Suffolk County in 1973. There he practiced law, concentrating in the areas of real property, litigation, corporate and commercial law.
In 1984, Gaffney was elected to the New York State Assembly
, representing the Fourth Assembly District. He served as the ranking Republican
member of the Real Property Tax Committee and the Committee on Corrections, as well as the Assembly Standing Committees on Codes, Higher Education, Environmental Conservation and the Judiciary. He also co-chaired the Assembly Republican Task Force on Crime Victims' Rights.
During his three terms as Suffolk County Executive, Gaffney was President of the New York State Association of Counties (NYSAC) from 1994–1995 and President of the New York State County Executives Association from 1995-1996. He served on the New York Metropolitan Transportation Coordinating Committee from 1992-2003. As an adjunct professor at the State University of New York at Stony Brook
, he taught Public Policy and Administration in the Graduate School of Political Science from 2000-2003.
In 2004 he was elected a Trustee of Dowling College
. He became its fourth president on October 1, 2006. He has also served on the boards or committees of Central Suffolk Hospital and the Long Island Housing Partnership. In 2005, Gaffney was appointed by Governor George Pataki
to the New York State.
His biography on the Dowling College website states:
County executive
A county executive is the head of the executive branch of government in a county. This position is common in the United States.The executive may be an elected or an appointed position...
of Suffolk County
Suffolk County, New York
Suffolk County is a county located in the U.S. state of New York on the eastern portion of Long Island. As of the 2010 census, the population was 1,493,350. It was named for the county of Suffolk in England, from which its earliest settlers came...
, New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
. First elected in 1991, he served through 2003. Since 2006 he has been president of Dowling College
Dowling College
Dowling College is a private co-educational liberal arts college with three campuses spread across Long Island, New York. The college's main campus in Oakdale, NY sits on the site of William K. Vanderbilt's former Idle Hour estate, which is now known as Fortunoff Hall. The Brookhaven Campus in...
.
Born and educated in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
, he received a Bachelor of Science
Bachelor of Science
A Bachelor of Science is an undergraduate academic degree awarded for completed courses that generally last three to five years .-Australia:In Australia, the BSc is a 3 year degree, offered from 1st year on...
degree in Business from Fordham University
Fordham University
Fordham University is a private, nonprofit, coeducational research university in the United States, with three campuses in and around New York City. It was founded by the Roman Catholic Diocese of New York in 1841 as St...
School of Business in 1965 and a J.D.
Juris Doctor
Juris Doctor is a professional doctorate and first professional graduate degree in law.The degree was first awarded by Harvard University in the United States in the late 19th century and was created as a modern version of the old European doctor of law degree Juris Doctor (see etymology and...
from Fordham University School of Law
Fordham University School of Law
Fordham University School of Law is a part of Fordham University in the United States. The School is located in the Borough of Manhattan in New York City, and is one of eight ABA-approved law schools in that city.-Overview:According to the U.S. News & World Report, 1,516 J.D. students attend...
in 1969. After working as a Special Agent
Special agent
Special agent is usually the title for a detective or investigator for a state, county, municipal, federal or tribal government. An agent is a worker for any federal agency, and a secret agent is one who works for an intelligence agency....
with the Federal Bureau of Investigation
Federal Bureau of Investigation
The Federal Bureau of Investigation is an agency of the United States Department of Justice that serves as both a federal criminal investigative body and an internal intelligence agency . The FBI has investigative jurisdiction over violations of more than 200 categories of federal crime...
, Gaffney moved to Suffolk County in 1973. There he practiced law, concentrating in the areas of real property, litigation, corporate and commercial law.
In 1984, Gaffney was elected to the New York State Assembly
New York State Assembly
The New York State Assembly is the lower house of the New York State Legislature. The Assembly is composed of 150 members representing an equal number of districts, with each district having an average population of 128,652...
, representing the Fourth Assembly District. He served as the ranking Republican
Republican Party (United States)
The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
member of the Real Property Tax Committee and the Committee on Corrections, as well as the Assembly Standing Committees on Codes, Higher Education, Environmental Conservation and the Judiciary. He also co-chaired the Assembly Republican Task Force on Crime Victims' Rights.
During his three terms as Suffolk County Executive, Gaffney was President of the New York State Association of Counties (NYSAC) from 1994–1995 and President of the New York State County Executives Association from 1995-1996. He served on the New York Metropolitan Transportation Coordinating Committee from 1992-2003. As an adjunct professor at the State University of New York at Stony Brook
State University of New York at Stony Brook
The State University of New York at Stony Brook, also known as Stony Brook University, is a public research university located in Stony Brook, New York, on the North Shore of Long Island, about east of Manhattan....
, he taught Public Policy and Administration in the Graduate School of Political Science from 2000-2003.
In 2004 he was elected a Trustee of Dowling College
Dowling College
Dowling College is a private co-educational liberal arts college with three campuses spread across Long Island, New York. The college's main campus in Oakdale, NY sits on the site of William K. Vanderbilt's former Idle Hour estate, which is now known as Fortunoff Hall. The Brookhaven Campus in...
. He became its fourth president on October 1, 2006. He has also served on the boards or committees of Central Suffolk Hospital and the Long Island Housing Partnership. In 2005, Gaffney was appointed by Governor George Pataki
George Pataki
George Elmer Pataki is an American politician who was the 53rd Governor of New York. A member of the Republican Party, Pataki served three consecutive four-year terms from January 1, 1995 until December 31, 2006.- Early life :...
to the New York State.
His biography on the Dowling College website states:
Mr. Gaffney, who was featured as a "Long Islander of the Century" by NewsdayNewsdayNewsday is a daily American newspaper that primarily serves Nassau and Suffolk counties and the New York City borough of Queens on Long Island, although it is sold throughout the New York metropolitan area...
in 2000, has been a recognized leader in environmental protection and land preservation. He has received honors for his work in this area from The Nature ConservancyThe Nature ConservancyThe Nature Conservancy is a US charitable environmental organization that works to preserve the plants, animals, and natural communities that represent the diversity of life on Earth by protecting the lands and waters they need to survive....
, the Peconic Land Trust, the Long Island Pine Barrens Society, and numerous other environmental and land use organizations. He was instrumental in the creation, organization and implementation of the Central Pine Barrens Joint Planning and Policy Commission and served as its first chairman, a position he held until his retirement from public office in 2003. Under Mr. Gaffney's leadership, hundreds of thousands of acres of environmentally sensitive land in Suffolk County have been preserved.