Where could you find Gov. Kathy Hochul, Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman, state Comptroller Tom DiNapoli, Suffolk County Executive Romaine and U.S. Sen. Charles Schumer in one place at the same time?
The answer is at an annual breakfast hosted by the Long Island Association, the most influential business group serving Nassau and Suffolk counties.
The association’s most recent event, held on Jan. 9, was a special one celebrating LIA’s 100th anniversary.
The occasion is a good time to express our appreciation for the Melville-based group and its advocacy not only for Long Island’s business community but also for its residents.
The group, which began before the Great Depression, has served through wars, changes in technology and the recent pandemic, leaving its mark on everything from the economy to energy to education.
The LIA has been a key force in the region’s transformation from potato farms and beach cottages to America’s first suburb and into an economic powerhouse and a region home to nearly 3 million people.
“Over the course of a century, the Long Island Association has played an instrumental role in transforming the region from a bedroom community of New York City to a dynamic, vibrant place,” CEO and President Matt Cohen said at the breakfast, describing the region as one with a “diverse, bustling economy that offers exciting opportunities for professional success.”
He is correct.
The group has long been a loud voice for Long Island, helping make sure the region is not lost in the hubbub and tussle for funds in Albany, with vocal leaders such as Matthew Crosson, Kevin Law, and Cohen maintaining a laser focus on Long Island.
The association routinely hosts panel discussions on issues important to businesses on Long Island and to residents, such as the need for housing to attract a workforce that enables the economies and businesses of Nassau and Suffolk counties to grow.
In doing so, the association serves as a helpful counterweight to town and village officials, who greatly influence housing construction through local zoning laws and ardent representation of residents.
A panel discussion last year brought together experts who identified problems and solutions to affordability on Long Island and across the state, focusing on zoning regulations and state laws that they said raised construction costs in Nassau and beyond.
As indicated by the attendees at its breakfast, the association also brings together the elected officials who can make changes to improve affordability and aid Nassau’s economy, including Long Island’s four members of Congress.
The group’s annual luncheons have featured former presidents, vice presidents, governors and sports legends, while the LIA Foundation, the not-for-profit’s charitable arm, supported small Nassau and Suffolk businesses through grants.
In 2017, the LIA secured hundreds of millions of dollars in state funding for the Transformative Investment Program, supporting a research corridor and major infrastructure projects in Nassau County and the Ronkonkoma Hub.
The LIA advocated for a third LIRR track from Floral Park to Hicksville and, in 2020, helped businesses obtain loans, grants, and information during the pandemic.
In 2024, the LIA supported South Fork Wind, the first utility-scale offshore wind farm in the United States, while opposing a fully public Long Island Power Authority as not being in the ratepayers’ interest.
In 2025, the LIA successfully advocated for a higher federal state and local tax deduction.
Nassau and Suffolk counties are fortunate to have an association that can identify Long Island’s needs and bring together the elected officials needed to work with them to find solutions.
Happy anniversary, LIA. We wish you 100 more.
