The Honorable Byron W. Brown is the 58th Mayor of the City of Buffalo. On June 16, 2015, he was appointed as a member of the SUNY Board of Trustees to a term that expires June 30, 2022. Mayor Brown was reelected to a third four-year term as Mayor of New York’s second largest city following a landslide victory in November of 2013. Since taking office, Mayor Brown has championed the renaissance that is taking place throughout Buffalo, where over $5 billion in new economic development activity is underway resulting in the creation of over 12,000 new jobs. Under his leadership, he has helped to keep Buffalo competitive for business growth and attractive for residents and visitors by cutting both residential and commercial property taxes, investing in public safety and further strengthening neighborhoods by allocating significant funds to parks citywide, youth initiatives, educational supports and arts and wellness programs as part of a community-wide plan that will move the city toward the goal of shared prosperity for all residents. As a champion of waterfront revitalization, Mayor Brown is responsible for bringing a quarter billion in private investment to the downtown waterfront, including the $200,000,000 HARBORCENTER complex.
Mayor Brown’s career in public service is marked with many historic achievements. He was elected the first African-American Mayor of Buffalo. He served five years in the New York State Senate. Sworn in January 1, 2001, Mayor Brown also became the first African-American elected to the State Senate outside of New York City. Mayor Brown was first elected to public office in 1995 as a City Councilman when he represented the Masten District on the Buffalo City Council. He has won dozens of awards during his decades of public service. While on the Council, Mayor Brown was called “bright, creative and hardworking,” in a Buffalo News survey and was recognized in 1989 Ebony Magazine as one of the “30 Leaders of the Future”.
Mayor Brown was recently named one of 13 members on Governor Andrew Cuomo’s New York Works Task Force. He also serves on the Governor’s Regional Economic Council. He was named one of 2012’s most influential people in Western New York by Buffalo Business First. Mayor Brown is a Silver Life Member of the NAACP.
Mayor Brown’s entire family is dedicated to public service, and he is extremely proud to serve the citizens of the City of Buffalo.