Adam Barsky named chairman of Nassau Interim Finance Authority

Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo has named Adam Barsky, who served as New York City budget director under former Mayor Rudy Giuliani, as the fourth chairman of the Nassau Interim Finance Authority.

Barsky, 53, who grew up in East Islip and lives in White Plains, has nearly 30 years of experience in budget and financial management in the public and private sectors, working for Democratic and Republican administrations.

For the past nine years, he has worked as the executive vice president and chief risk officer of the Israel Discount Bank of New York in Manhattan.

“I am honored the governor gave me the opportunity to use my experience in a way that could benefit the taxpayers of Nassau County,” Barsky said in an interview.

Cuomo said in a statement that Barsky “brings a depth and diversity of experience that is second to none.”

In a statement, Nassau County Executive Edward Mangano said he looked “forward to meeting with Adam Barsky and working with him in his new role.” The NIFA post is unpaid.

NIFA, a state monitoring board that controls the county’s finances, has been without a leader for nearly a month since former chairman Jon Kaiman resigned to run for Congress.

Kaiman’s predecessor, Ron Stack, had an often combative relationship with Mangano. Under Stack’s leadership, the board took control of Nassau’s finances in January 2011 as the county struggled with budget deficits.

Under Kaiman, the seven-member board worked more cooperatively with Mangano, lifting a three-year wage freeze and approving new labor contracts. The board, in passing Mangano’s 2016 budget in December, imposed quarterly reviews of Nassau’s finances to determine if county spending is exceeding projections or revenues are failing to meet expectations.

Barsky last worked on Long Island as comptroller and director of finance in Democrat-controlled Babylon Town from December 1987 to December 1992.

He held multiple jobs during the Giuliani administration, including chief financial officer of the New York City Economic Development Corp., chairman of the Employees’ Retirement System and director of the mayor’s office of operations.

From 2000-2002, Barsky served as city budget director. He prepared and managed a more than $40 billion operating budget and a $50 billion capital improvement plan.

Barsky worked as deputy secretary for finance, housing and public authorities under Republican George Pataki, overseeing agencies including the Metropolitan Transportation Authority, the Long Island Power Authority, the Port Authority and NIFA.

“Adam is one of the top municipal, city and state budget experts,” said Kevin Law, president of the Long Island Association, the region’s largest business group. “He is a professional and not a politician and will do a terrific job.”

By Robert Brodsky

robert.brodsky@newsday.com@BrodskyRobert

Robert Brodsky is a breaking news reporter who has worked at Newsday since 2011. He is a Queens College and American University alum.