In 1985, Dean graduated, with honors, from the Broadcast Institute of Maryland and for the next 10 years, he was involved in all aspects of radio and television news throughout Delaware, Maryland, Pennsylvania and New York. During that period, Dean covered the Pennsylvania State Capital for over 100 radio stations and served on the Board of Directors of the Pennsylvania Associated Press.
While living in Pennsylvania, Dean played 5 seasons of semi-pro football with the Chambersburg Cardinals and York Lions.
Seeking other opportunities, in 1994, Dean came to Long Island as an Advertising Sales Rep for TCI Cable. In just over a year, Dean was promoted to Regional Sales Manager serving the Tri-State area. Not being able to completely let go of his love for broadcasting, Dean periodically filled in doing morning news at WBLI Radio and also did the play-by-play radio broadcasts of local High School football games on WALK-AM.
In 1997, Dean took the entrepreneurial leap and started his own Advertising Agency – D & S Advertising, Inc. For nearly 25 years, the company published several specialty, free-publications, including but not limited to: the “Long Island Job Finder” employment newspaper & website, the “Long Island Pet Lover” magazine & website and the “Long Island Fugitive Finder” crime fighting magazine & website. While the company no longer publishes the print versions, the LI Job Finder and LI Fugitive Finder websites are still active and extremely popular. Through his business, Dean not only able to create multiple jobs but also has the satisfaction of knowing that he's helping people find new jobs and new careers while also working with law enforcement to keep our communities safe.
Dean was first elected to serve in the NYS Assembly in a special election in February of 2010 and was re-elected by a comfortable margin in November of 2010. Following a brief 2 year break, the voters returned Dean to the NYS Assembly in 2015, where he served for another 4 years. While in the Assembly, Dean led the fight to repeal the MTA payroll tax, eliminate the salt-water fishing license fee, pass the largest middle class tax cut in decades and adopt the I-STOP program to help fight the serious problem of prescription drug abuse.
Dean has committed himself to serve his community in various ways. He’s been an active member of several Chamber of Commerce chapters throughout Suffolk County, served as a board member with the Patchogue Medford Youth & Community Services, the Focus East Patchogue Civic Organization, was a member of the Suffolk County Police Reserves, and also served on the Suffolk County Workforce Investment Board.
Dean isn’t the only one in his family that has made a commitment to community and country. He is extremely proud of his son, Anthony Dean Murray, who served 6 years in the Maryland Air National Guard, completing tours of duty in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Dean Murray was elected to represent Senate District 03 in 2022 and currently lives in his home in East Patchogue with his two dogs, Pete and Lola.