Robert L. King

King was born and raised in Brighton, New York and graduated from Brighton High School. He graduated from Trinity College (in Connecticut) and earned a Juris Doctor at the Vanderbilt University School of Law.

He began his career as a Special Assistant United States Attorney in California. He returned to Rochester where he served as an Assistant District Attorney and ran unsuccessfully for Monroe County District Attorney against Howard R. Relin in 1983.

In 1986, he successfully won a seat in the New York State Assembly which he held for five years. It was there that he befriended fellow Assemblyman George Pataki, who greatly influenced his later career. In 1991, he unseated Thomas Frey to become Monroe County Executive. In 1995, King resigned his office to join then-Governor Pataki as director of the State Office of Regulatory Reform. He cited his proposals to reform welfare, his introduction of Total Quality Management to county offices, the development of Frontier Field, education reforms, and collaboration with the city as his proudest achievements and his inability to achieve privatization of government services as his biggest disappointment.

In 1998, King became Pataki's budget director and in 1999, the Chancellor of the State University System. After retiring from SUNY, he joined the Arizona Community Foundation as its President and CEO.