Brian Kolb

Brian M. Kolb (born August 14, 1952) is an American politician serving as a member of the New York State Assembly from the 131st Assembly District. Kolb also served as Minority Leader from 2009 to 2020.

Brian Kolb
Member of the New York State Assembly from the 131st district
129th district (2000-2012)
Assumed office
February 17, 2000
Preceded byCraig Doran
Minority Leader of the New York State Assembly
In office
April 6, 2009 – January 3, 2020
GovernorAndrew Cuomo
Preceded byJim Tedisco
Succeeded byWilliam Barclay
Town Supervisor of Richmond
In office
1986–1987
Personal details
Born (1952-08-14) August 14, 1952
Rochester, New York, U.S.
Political partyRepublican
Spouse(s)Lauren Kolb
Children3
Alma materRoberts Wesleyan College (BS, MS)

Early life and career

Kolb was born in Rochester, New York. He received his Associate of Arts degree from Saint Petersburg Junior College in 1980. In 1996, he received his B.S. from Roberts Wesleyan College, and later earned his M.S. from Roberts Wesleyan in 1998.

Career

He became an adjunct professor at Roberts Wesleyan in 2000. He was co-founder of North American Filter Corporation and is a former President/COO of Refractron Technologies Corporation.[1]

From 1986 to 1987, Kolb was the Town Supervisor for the Town of Richmond and served on the Ontario County Board of Supervisors.

New York State Assembly

Kolb was first elected to the New York State Assembly in a February 2000 special election. As of January 2020, he has been re-elected nine times.[2] Kolb represented the 129th Assembly District from 2000 to 2012, and has represented the 131st Assembly District since 2013.[3] New York's 131st Assembly District comprises all of Ontario County and portions of Seneca County in Upstate New York.[4]

A Republican, Kolb was chosen as Assembly Minority Leader following the resignation of Jim Tedisco.[5] He became Assembly Minority Leader on April 6, 2009.[2] As of December 2018, Kolb was the longest-serving legislative leader in the New York State Legislature.[6][5]

A member of the National Rifle Association, Kolb appeared alongside the organization's CEO, Wayne LaPierre, at a 2012 lobby day event in Albany.[3][7] Kolb is also a member of the New York State Rifle & Pistol Association.[8][3]

In 2017, Kolb was the only one of New York's five state legislative leaders and six statewide elected officials to support New York Proposition 1 (2017), which called for a state constitutional convention. Proposition 1 was defeated at the ballot box, receiving only 16% of the vote.[9][10]

Kolb is a member of the member of the Advisory Board for the Ontario ARC, a member of the Sons of the American Legion, the Knights of Columbus, the American Irish Legislators Society, Ontario Charities Classic Board of Directors, the Ontario ARC Advisory Board and the New York Farm Bureau.[3]

Kolb stepped down from the position of Assembly Minority Leader on January 3, 2020 after having been arrested for driving while intoxicated several days earlier.[11][12] In February 2020, Kolb announced that he would not seek re-election to the Assembly in the November 2020 election.[13]

Other potential bids for political office

Kolb had been named as a leading Republican contender in New York's 29th congressional district in 2010; however, he declined to seek the seat after becoming minority leader.[14] Though his potential candidacy was never taken seriously, he also declined an opportunity to run against Kirsten Gillibrand for United States Senate[15] and also declined to run for Congress in 2012, this time against Democrat Kathy Hochul.[16]

On December 12, 2017, Kolb announced his intent to run for Governor of New York in 2018.[17] He withdrew from the gubernatorial race in February 2018.[18]

Personal life

Kolb resides in Canandaigua, New York. He and his wife, Lauren, have three children.[3]

References
  1. "Assembly Member Brian M. Kolb (NY)". Project Vote Smart. Retrieved June 4, 2009.
  2. "GOP Assembly leader Brian Kolb charged with drunken driving". Times Union. January 1, 2020.
  3. "Assemblyman Brian Kolb: 131st Assembly District". assembly.state.ny.us. New York Assembly. Retrieved May 25, 2014.
  4. "131st District Map". assembly.state.ny.us. New York Assembly. Retrieved May 25, 2014.
  5. "NY Assembly Republicans select new minority leader". Glens Falls Post-Star. April 6, 2009.
  6. "Kolb re-elected leader of Assembly Republican Conference". Legislative Gazette. December 3, 2018.
  7. Fitzpatrick, Joshua. "NYS Assembly Minority Leader Brian Kolb Celebrates "Sportsmen's Day 2012," Defends Second Amendment Constitutional Freedoms Of All New Yorkers". Assembly Minority Leader Brian M. Kolb/New York State Assembly Minority. Retrieved December 13, 2017.
  8. Spector, Joseph. "Rifle Association Moves Kolb to the Head of The Class". Albany Watch. USA Today. Archived from the original on December 13, 2017. Retrieved December 13, 2017.
  9. Reisman, Nick. "Lawmakers have a lot to say about NY constitutional convention proposal". Spectrum News. Spectrum News. Retrieved December 12, 2017.
  10. Kolb, Brian. "Kolb: The case for a constitutional convention". Auburnpub. Retrieved December 12, 2017.
  11. "Assembly Minority Leader Brian Kolb steps down after DWI arrest". Times Union. January 3, 2020.
  12. "NY lawmaker, who warned about driving drunk, resigns as GOP leader after DWI arrest". NBC News. January 3, 2020.
  13. Campbell, Jon. "Assemblyman Brian Kolb will not seek re-election after DWI charge". Rochester Democrat and Chronicle. Retrieved June 1, 2020.
  14. DeWitt, Karen (April 6, 2009). "Assembly GOP Names New Leader". publicbroadcasting.net/wxxi. WXXI Public Broadcasting Council. Retrieved June 5, 2009.
  15. ""Republicans rethinking 29th District race"". mpnnow.com. March 3, 2010. Archived from the original on September 6, 2012. Retrieved March 6, 2010.
  16. Bragg, Chris (March 7, 2012). Sen. Patrick Gallivan (And Other Big GOP Names) Eying Hochul’s Seat Archived March 9, 2012, at the Wayback Machine. City & State. Retrieved March 7, 2012.
  17. First Republican formally announces plans to run for New York governor. New York Daily News. Retrieved December 12, 2017.
  18. "Brian Kolb withdraws from gubernatorial race". Legislative Gazette. February 3, 2018.
New York State Assembly
Preceded by
Craig Doran		 Member of the New York Assembly
from the 129th district
2000–2012		 Succeeded by
William Magnarelli
Preceded by
Harry Bronson		 Member of the New York Assembly
from the 131st district
2013–present		 Incumbent
Preceded by
Jim Tedisco		 Minority Leader of the New York Assembly
2009–2020
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