Marcus Molinaro

Marcus J. "Marc" Molinaro (born October 8, 1975) is an American politician. Originally from Yonkers, New York, he is the current Dutchess County Executive.
Marcus J. Molinaro was elected as Dutchess County’s 7th County Executive in November 2011. At 36, he took office as the youngest County Executive in county history.
Marcus J. Molinaro imageMarc Molinaro was first elected to public office at the age of 18 in 1994, serving on Village of Tivoli Board of Trustees. In 1995, he became the youngest mayor in the United States. He was re-elected mayor five times and elected four times to the Dutchess County Legislature. In 2006, he brought his passion for public service to Albany when elected to represent the 103rd District in the New York State Assembly. Governor Andrew Cuomo appointed him to serve on the Governor’s Mandate Relief Redesign Team. As County Executive, Marc was appointed to serve on the New York State Association of Counties’ (NYSAC) Board of Directors and in 2015 he was elected the organization’s Second Vice President.
Upon taking the office of County Executive, Marc sought to create a comprehensive economic development strategy, one that more aggressively attracts and retains private sector companies and jobs. This strategy streamlines the County’s economic development apparatus, invests in a targeted marketing campaign to fill vacant commercial and industrial space, and promotes tourism as well as agri-business opportunities.
Marc has been leader on Open Space Protection and Farmland Preservation, an advocate to preserve the Hudson River Valley Greenway and a supporter of the Greenway Compact. In 2013, the New York State Senate appointed him to the Greenway Heritage Conservancy for the Hudson River Valley. In 2014, Marc was honored by the Pace University Land Use Law Center as the recipient of its Groundbreaker’s Award given to a graduate of the Center's Land Use Leadership Alliance (LULA) Training Program.
Since 2012, Marc and his Administration have transformed the way County Government does business – making it smaller, smarter, and more effective. The consolidation of county departments and divisions has saved millions of taxpayer dollars. County Government now operates with its smallest workforce in 32 years without diminishment of core services such as law enforcement, mental health, and road repair. It ended the taxpayer subsidy at the Resource Recovery Agency (RRA) and seeks now to do the same at the Airport with a private operator and commercial investments. County Government now provides grants to municipalities that share, consolidate, and make more effective their programs and services all in an effort to cut the total cost of government. In 2015, Marc launched “Think Differently,” an initiative to ensure equal access and service, along with greater outreach, to those living with special needs and developmental disabilities. Efforts continue to make County Government more accountable and responsive to the public, providing unprecedented access to county information and data with Marc himself hosting over 70 town hall and public forums in his first 5 years as County Executive.
Marc has been active in numerous community and civic organizations. He has served as an active member of the Tivoli Fire Department as well as numerous community and civic organizations including the Hudson River Valley Greenway Communities Council, Dutchess County Historical Society, Hudson Advisory Board, Dutchess County American Cancer Society, Dutchess County Farm Bureau, Red Hook Senior Services and Hardscrabble Committees. He has also been a Red Hook Little League coach.
In 2010, he was honored with the VV Anderson Award for Community Service by the Anderson Center for Autism. In 2011, Astor Services for Children and Families presented him with the Louise Marillac Public Service Award in recognition of the work he has done on behalf of children and families in the community. In 2014, Marc received the Champion for Elder Rights and Safety Award from the Coalition on Elder Abuse in Dutchess County. In 2015, he was honored for outstanding leadership by the Mid-Hudson Chapter of the American Red Cross. He was also honored as the Distinguished Citizen of the Year by the Boy Scouts of America, Hudson Valley Council.
Molinaro is a graduate of Dutchess Community College, where he earned a Dutchess United Educators award, and the PACE Land Use Law Center Community Leadership Alliance. He has been recognized by the Greater Southern Dutchess Chamber of Commerce and “Capitol” news publication as one of their first “Forty under Forty” leaders. The Albany Times Union cited him as one of Albany’s “True Reformers,” the Hudson Register Star recognized him as a “strong advocate,” and the Poughkeepsie Journal called Molinaro a “voice of reason." Hudson Valley Magazine readers have voted Molinaro “Best Politician” in the Hudson Valley region for last 3 consecutive years (2012-14).
Marc and his wife, Corinne live in Red Hook, NY with their children, Abigail, Jack & Elias

Molinaro officially announced his bid to succeed twenty-year Dutchess County Executive William Steinhaus in May 2011. The campaign was endorsed by the county's Republican, Conservative, and Independence parties. On June 3, Beekman supervisor Dan French was nominated as the Assemblyman's Democratic challenger. Molinaro won on November 8, 2011 with a solid margin of 62% to French's 38%.

He was sworn into office on January 1, 2012. In 2015, Molinaro was re-elected to a second term, defeating Democratic challenger Diane Jablonski with 64% of the vote.