Economic Development Leadership Award Breakfast Al Samuels Honored by the County

County Executive Ed Day and County Director of Economic Development & Tourism Lucy Redzeposki presented Al Samuels with the Rockland County Economic Development Leadership Award at a breakfast event at The Nyack Seaport on Friday, May 10, 2024, while also declaring May 10th Al Samuels Day. Samuels was presented with the award in recognition of his decades-long leadership in economic development.

“I can think of no one more deserving of this award than Al Samuels,” said County Executive Ed Day. “For decades, Rockland residents have benefited from his keen business acumen and ability to identify economic development opportunities.”

Al Samuels has been the President and CEO of the Rockland Business Association (RBA) since 2001. He is the known to many as the passionate voice for Rockland County’s business community.

Samuels has also served as a voting member of the Mid-Hudson Regional Economic Development Council since its inception in 2011, appointed by Governor Andrew Cuomo. In this role, he has been a proponent for economic development projects that have generated a total of $629M in investment and retained or created 8,000 jobs in Rockland alone (and a total of $6.4B in investment and 46,000 jobs created or retained throughout the Hudson Valley).

Samuels has served on several high-profile boards and committees, including the Rockland County Economic Development Advisory Group, the Clarkstown Business & Economic Development Committee, The Volumetric Fund, People to People, Leadership Rockland, The Arc Rockland, and Community Action Partnership.

Rockland County Director of Economic Development & Tourism Lucy Redzeposki said, “Al understands the far-reaching impacts of economic development, including tourism. He makes sure that Rockland is at the table when key decisions impacting the Hudson Valley region are made."

The award presentation was the culminating event of Rockland's acknowledgement of Economic Development Week. Economic Development Week was created in 2016 by the International Economic Development Council (IEDC) to increase awareness of local programs that create jobs, advance career development opportunities, and improve the quality of life in communities everywhere.