28 LONGISLANDPRESS.COM • SEPTEMBER 2021
MATTHEW COHEN, CEO OF LONG ISLAND ASSOCIATION LEADING ON LI
BY CLAUDE SOLNIK
As the newly named CEO of the Long
Island Association, Matthew Cohen
is at the helm of the key business organization
for the region. He talked
with us about his new role, priorities,
and views on the group’s place in the
Long Island business landscape during
unusual times.
You’ve been with the LIA for a long
time. How does it feel, and how is it
different, to be leading the group?
The difference between being the vice
president and becoming the president
and CEO is surreal, but exciting. I have
“My intention is to continue diversifying. I want to
do more events, more advocacy, centered around
promoting diversity, equity and inclusion.”
a lot of experience with the organization,
having been the vice president for
10 years. I have a lot of experience with
the business community, our members
and board of directors. This is a new
role, but something I don’t need on-thejob
training for. I understand the issues
confronting the region. I understand
things we could be doing to help the
business community and spur economic
growth.
What do you see as the biggest business
issues, or issues, confronting the
region other than the pandemic?
I think the most existential issue facing
Long Island is how to keep our region
more affordable for young families
and professionals. It’s incumbent upon
the Long Island Association and
other stakeholders to create the type
of environment so that a young person
can be educated here, go to college here
and get a good paying job here, or go
away to college and afford living here.
We need more affordable housing,
more affordable apartments, and more
affordable homeownership opportunities.
The way young families can afford
that is with good, paying jobs.
How can the LIA help with that?
The LIA should be the leading voice
in advocating federal, state, and local
lawmakers for more investment in the
region’s infrastructure, our transportation,
downtowns, housing, childcare.
The LIA should be leading the region
been trying to support the needs of
the business community, particularly
the small-business community. The
small-business community is resilient,
but it’s still recovering from Covid.
They went through hell and back again.
Business owners, employees, families.
Small businesses are 90 percent of the
businesses on Long Island. We have to
make sure we’re there for them.
Do you have a particular approach or
style to leading?
Very down to earth. I respect people
and treat people with respect. I want
people to know that I care about these
issues. It’s personal to me. I have a
young family, a 10-year-old son. What
happens in the future of this region
is what happens in the
future of my son’s
life. It’s important
to me.
How is the
LIA as an organization
op e r a t ing
differently
b e c a u s e
of Covid,
and is it
returning
to in-person
events?
We are adapting
like other businesses
are
adapting. We were planning on returning
to in-person events in the fall.
The health and safety conditions will
dictate that. As of now, we’re looking
at bringing back in-person meetings.
How has Covid impacted the economy?
Covid battered the Long Island economy,
but we’re navigating together and
recovering, which is why the delta and
the potential lambda variant are so
concerning. We should be encouraging
all people to get vaccinated and follow
health and safety guidelines so we can
keep our economy growing.
What if any priorities do you have in
terms of things that you would like
to see done?
Making Long Island more affordable
for young families and professionals;
supporting the small-business community;
and diversity, equity, and inclusion.
Making the case that it’s good
for their bottom line to have a more
diverse C-suite of executives, corporate,
and nonprofit boards. That
will spur economic growth. As
Long Island demographics
keep changing, our workforce
and our C-suite
executives should reflect
those demographics.
How do you take diversity
as a value
and translate that
into action?
Leading by example.
Our own board of
directors has become
increasingly dive
r s e
during former LIA President and CEO
Kevin (Law)’s tenure. My intention is
to continue diversifying. I want to do
more events, more advocacy, centered
around promoting diversity, equity,
and inclusion. And I want to reach out
more to those business communities.
Do you work with other organizations?
We work with all the other business
organizations, the other chambers of
commerce. The Long Island African
American Chamber of Commerce President,
Phil Andrews, is on our board.
Louis Vasquez, president of the Long
Island Hispanic Chamber of Commerce
is on our board.
Is it more difficult to work together in
the age of Covid?
We haven’t been able to get together a
lot in the last year and a half. I would
say as a result of Covid, we work together
more closely to help the business
community navigate the pandemic. We
did town halls, webinars, information,
resources, and advocacy. We pushed
hard for federal and state funding and
support.
What’s your view of the role of social
media in terms of the LIA?
The LIA is going to use social media and
new media in an increasing fashion to
better communicate with our members,
the broader business community,
and the entire region. We’re starting
to do more in terms of increasing our
social activity on social media and new
media. We’re going to develop a new
podcast series.
Have companies reached out to the
LIA during the pandemic?
We responded to hundreds and
hundreds of inquiries from businesses
that contacted us directly.
We tried to guide them to the
appropriate contacts at the Small
Business Administration or Empire
State Development. We took a lot of
their concerns to state and federal
decision makers.
And now?
We hope the worst of Covid is over,
but new concerns are lurking. We‘ll
remain a resource for businesses
that need more support. The
small-business community is still
trying to recover.
CORNER OFFICE
Matthew Cohen
/LONGISLANDPRESS.COM
