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RBA Hires Zebrowski’s Law & Lobbying Firm To Re-Energize Faltering Business Chamber; President/CEO Al Samuels To Remain In Leadership Position
By Tina Traster
Former Assemblyman Ken Zebrowski is taking his high-profile political prowess to an organization that has struggled over the past several years to remain relevant – the Rockland Business Association (RBA).
Zebrowski will become the new face of the county’s 57-year-old business chamber. He has been named RBA’s president.
The RBA has hired Brown and Weinraub Advisors, LLC, an Albany-based law and lobbying firm, which Zebrowski joined last month as a partner and senior advisor, to bring energy and a fresh vision to an organization that has been atrophying for many years. Its decline accelerated during the pandemic.
“I will be the point person from Brown and Weinraub,” said Zebrowski. “The RBA is an important and historic Rockland organization. This is a great opportunity to grow something, to reinvent, to make sure it’s more successful.”
Zebrowski said he has “hit the ground running,” adding he will continue to work with Al Samuels, RBA’s CEO.
By many accounts, the RBA has become a shadow of what it once was – even before the pandemic. Membership was waning, attendance at events and networking, was declining. A paid staff of at least four over the last several years had dwindled to one: Samuel’s $160,000 annual salary.
Samuels, 86, had become synonymous with the RBA. He also serves on the Executive Committee of the Governor’s Mid-Hudson Regional Economic Development Council and the Government Affairs Council of the Business Council of New York State. In May, County Executive Ed Day and County Director of Economic Development & Tourism Lucy Redzeposki presented Samuels with the Rockland County Economic Development Leadership Award.
Many agree Samuels, prone to wearing cowboy boots and his heart on his sleeve when it came to his ideas and political beliefs, could at one time attract crowds of 200 to 300 members/guests to luncheons and other events. The organization also has specialized committees that target business segments like real estate and marketing.
But by many accounts, the RBA started to become stale and repetitious in its presentations and honored guests. The COVID pandemic, and subsequent return to normalcy, revealed the organization’s weaknesses as membership declined and events were poorly attended. The organization relocated its offices from Blue Hill Plaza to a more modest co-working space in Nyack.
“The organization has been grinding down to nothing,” said a source who asked to remain anonymous. “This had to happen.”
Several board members, according to insider accounts, had been urging Samuels to step down after nearly three decades at the helm. In backroom talks, they discussed the organization’s decline, a lack of a succession plan, and the pressing need to reinvigorate the group.
Tapping Zebrowski puts a young, fresh face on the RBA, which needs to revitalize its image and become useful to a wider swath of the business community.
In 2020, the RBA, which is a 501c(6), brought in $427,000 in revenue. At the time, the organization was paying out nearly $285,000 in salaries – roughly 61 percent of its revenue. It remains unclear what Zebrowski and Samuels will earn going forward.
In 2016, the RBA brought in $749,000 in revenue. The following year dipped to $729,000 and rose slightly to $739,000 in 2018. Reported revenue in 2019, prior to the pandemic, dropped to $712,000.
Income plummeted by nearly half in 2020 due to the pandemic, and further declined in 2021 to $349,000. Many organizations and institutions have struggled to rebound from the pandemic, which changed the way we do business. ZOOM replaced in-person meetings. People continued to be reluctant to gather after COVID waned. But most importantly, the pandemic gave many people time to re-evaluate how they spend their time and money. It took people off automatic pilot.
RBA also took on $111,258 in debt in 2020. Between 2018 and 2019, the organization was debt-free.
RBAs revenue crept back up to $469,000 in 2022, the latest numbers available, but many in the business community have reported that events have been poorly attended.
That said, those in the business and the local and regional economy continue to see the need for a revitalized organization that is more representative and diverse. They say it’s still important to network in person, though four-hour luncheons are old school.
“People want to go out and network and belong to a business organization,” said an anonymous source. “Ken’s appointment is an economic wake-up call for the county.”
It remains to be seen how long Samuels and Zebrowski will run the organization in tandem, but insiders say this changing of the guard is sorely needed.
The former Assemblyman said the details of titles and salaries have not been ironed out, adding “Al and I are working together.”
“Ken’s involvement with the RBA will be giving me more time to devote to key areas of special concern: advocacy, public policy, and economic development,” Samuels said. “Ken will be a
great addition to the team.”
The RBA board authorized Zebrowski’s appointment on August 1.
Photo: RBA Event
