Honor Robert Curley Today

Senate Resolution No. 2762 BY: Senator BRESLIN HONORING Robert Curley upon the occasion of his designation for special recognition by The College of Saint Rose on June 15, 2017 WHEREAS, It is the sense of this Legislative Body to recognize and honor those distinguished citizens who would devote their life's work and purpose to community service, contributing to the welfare of the citizens of their communities and this great Empire State; and WHEREAS, Attendant to such concern, and in full accord with its long-standing traditions, this Legislative Body is justly proud to honor Robert Curley upon the occasion of his designation for special recognition by The College of Saint Rose, to be celebrated at its "A Community of Excellence" Luncheon on Thursday, June 15, 2017, at Wolferts Roost Country Club, Albany, New York; and WHEREAS, A career banker, community leader, and respected mentor, Robert Curley is the Chairman of Berkshire Bank in New York, and serves on the Board of Directors of Berkshire Hills Bankcorp; and WHEREAS, Robert Curley's distinguished career in the banking industry began as a bank teller; through his sincere dedication and hard work, he was named President and Chief Executive Officer of Key Bank of Long Island at the age of 37; and WHEREAS, After relocating to the Capital Region to assume the presidency of Key's flagship bank in Albany, Robert Curley rose to the esteemed position of Vice Chairman, overseeing banks from Maine to Alaska; and WHEREAS, In 1999, Robert Curley accepted the position as President and CEO of Albank, which would evolve into Charter One, and become one of the 20 largest banks in the country; after Citizens' acquisition of Charter One, he maintained leadership roles as Chairman of Citizens Bank, N.A., and President of its New York subsidiary; during his eight-year tenure with Berkshire, the company quadrupled in size; and WHEREAS, Active in the community, Robert Curley has been chairman of numerous organizations and campaigns, including Catholic Charities, Coaches vs. Cancer, Wildwood Programs, Doane Stuart, the Sports Foundation, Junior Achievement, and the United Way; and WHEREAS, In addition, he has served on the boards of Siena College, The New York Bankers Association, Double H Ranch, The Center for Economic Growth, Capitalize Albany, and New York Business Development Corporation; and WHEREAS, In 2009, Robert Curley was inducted into the Tech Valley Business Hall of Fame, and was awarded the prestigious Jefferson Award for Community Leadership; he has been recognized by numerous organizations including the American Cancer Society, the Boy Scouts of America, the Little Sisters of the Poor, Northern Rivers, and JDRF; and WHEREAS, Furthermore, in 2011, the University at Albany honored Robert Curley with the Citizen Laureate Award, and this past year, The Albany Business Review presented him with its Achievers Award, as Executive of the Year; and WHEREAS, A strong proponent of mentoring others, Robert Curley has been instrumental in the success of his team members, 39 of whom went on to become bank presidents; additionally, he is actively involved in the Capital Region Chamber's YPN Executive Mentorship Program; and WHEREAS, It has always been the objective of this Legislative Body to honor and support those individuals who have displayed their commitment to the betterment of their communities, and it is the intent of this Legislative Body to inscribe upon its records, this tribute to Robert Curley, that future generations may know and appreciate his admirable character, his many benevolent deeds, and the respect and esteem in which he is held by his peers; now, therefore, be it RESOLVED, That this Legislative Body pause in its deliberations to honor Robert Curley upon the occasion of his designation for special recognition by The College of Saint Rose on June 15, 2017; and be it further RESOLVED, That a copy of this Resolution, suitably engrossed, be transmitted to Robert Curley.