Senator Hugh T. Farley Receives 2015 W. Paul White Award

Wilmington, Delaware-- Senator Hugh T Farley (R) from Schenectady, NY, Vice President Pro Tempore of the Senate, received the W. Paul White Regional Leadership Award during the 55^th Council of State Governments Eastern Regional Conference (CSG/ERC) Annual Meeting and Regional Policy Forum held in Wilmington, DE from August 16-19.  The ERC Annual Meeting is the largest meeting of state government officials in the Northeast.  

The W. Paul White Regional Leadership Award is CSG/ERC’s most prestigious award and is given annually to a legislator who has made outstanding and lasting contributions to public service in his state as well as to the Council of State Governments and its Eastern Regional Conference.  In presenting the award, former Massachusetts Senator Paul White said Senator Farley had served as both chairman of the CSG Eastern Regional Conference in 1983 as well as national Chairman of CSG in 1987.

In addition to recognizing his many contributions to CSG/ERC, White noted Senator Farley’s long record of service to his constituents in the 49^th Senatorial District in New York.  Senator Farley was first elected to the NYS Senate in 1976 and he has been reelected subsequently every two years with overwhelming margins. Senator Farley is the longest serving member of the New York State Senate.

Senator Farley, upon receiving the reward, said “the W Paul White award is among the highest honors I have ever received as it is bestowed by an organization made up of my colleagues across the Northeast.”  Senator Farley added, “CSG and its Eastern Regional Conference is a great organization that has enabled me to meet colleagues in other states who are dealing with similar challenges that we face here in New York and in my district.” 

“By attending CSG conferences, seminars and training programs organized by ERC, I have been able to bring back new ideas and better serve my constituents,” Senator Farley said.   “I believe in the value of this organization and am proud to have been a member of its Executive Committee for the last 30 years.”                                                                                                                        

CSG/ERC is a non-profit, non-partisan organization, located in New York City since 1937, that serves legislative, executive and judicial branch officials in 11 Eastern states, from Maine to Maryland, as well as the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands.  Five Eastern Canadian provinces are international associate members of ERC.

CSG’s mission since its creation in 1933 has been to facilitate information sharing among the states, advocate multi-jurisdictional problem solving as well as advocate, through its regional conference structure, for regional interests at the federal level.  CSG also offers leadership training programs for state officials and strives to strengthen the role of states in the federal system.