N.Y. business leader to become Las Vegas Chamber president

The leader of the largest business association in New York will become the new president and chief executive of the Las Vegas Chamber of Commerce.

The Chamber announced today that Matthew T. Crosson will replace longtime President and CEO Kara Kelley. Kelley announced in September that she planned to retire from the chamber April 1, but she has agreed to stay through the end of April for a smooth transition, the Chamber said. Crosson will begin April 26.

Crosson has served as the president and CEO of the Long Island Association since 1993 and also brings experience in public policy advocacy, the Chamber said.

He is a graduate of Georgetown University (bachelor's) and Fordham University School of Law (doctorate).

In 1983, he was appointed assistant counsel to New York Gov. Mario M. Cuomo, where he was responsible for legislation and other matters relating to the justice system. He was chief administrator of the New York State Unified Court System from 1989 to 1993, serving as the chief executive officer of the statewide court system, according to a bio from the Las Vegas Chamber of Commerce.

In addition to his current role with the Long Island Association, Crosson is president of the LIA Health Alliance, Inc., which is a health insurance purchasing plan for small businesses. He also is a member of the New York State Board of Regents Learning Standards Review Initiative Steering committee, which is charged with restructuring the state’s K-12 educational standards. He co-chairs the Nassau County Immigration Task Force.

He has served as a member of the Governor's Task Force on Worker's Compensation, the Assembly Speaker's Task Force on Health Care, the Lt. Governor's Advisory Council for Educational Excellence, the Suffolk County Blue Ribbon Health Panel, and the State Education Department’s Blue Ribbon Panel on School Leadership.

Crosson lives in Huntington, N.Y., with his wife, Elaine, who is vice president for legal affairs and general counsel for Long Island University, and their son, Daniel.

"I am grateful to the Board of Trustees of the Chamber for giving me this opportunity," he said. "And I am excited about leading the Chamber and participating in the economic recovery and future growth of Las Vegas."

Source: http://www.lasvegassun.com/news/2010/mar/16/ny-business-leader-become-la...