Raymond T. Schuler - Associated Industries

Associated Industries

In 1977 he was recruited to become president of Associated Industries of New York State, Inc., the state manufacturers’ association based in Albany. He immediately focused on two core objectives: to build a constructive rather than hostile relationship between business and government; and to create an organization that would have foundations strong enough for a long-haul, multi-year struggle to restore economic growth in New York State.

Before Mr. Schuler entered the private sector, relations between government and the business community were strained and negative. Structural changes in the economy had made the traditional high cost of government in New York an ever more serious competitive disadvantage for the state’s business community, leading to a marked shortfall in New York’s economic growth relative to that of the rest of the nation. Business organizations in Albany were openly hostile to the political community, and vice versa.

Building on his political skills, his close relationship with Governor Hugh Carey, his longstanding contacts with legislative leaders in both parties, and his knowledge of key players in both business and labor, Mr. Schuler quickly moved to make Associated Industries a more positive force in state government affairs. Seizing opportunities to praise governmental leaders who were working to improve the business climate — rather than simply criticizing those who weren’t — Associated Industries played a key role in supporting Governor Carey’s personal income-tax cuts, and in supporting environmental and labor policies that were sensitive to business concerns.

In his first year with Associated Industries, Mr. Schuler negotiated a historic agreement with then state AFL-CIO President Raymond Corbett that raised unemployment benefit levels to benefit the jobless, while enhancing the investment tax credit for companies that were growing in New York State.