Orange County (NY) Executive

Steve Neuhaus is Orange County’s sixth County Executive since the office was established in 1970. As County Executive, Neuhaus has focused on revitalizing Orange County’s economic development, enhancing public health and safety, improving infrastructure, lowering the tax rate and stabilizing the budget. 

A life-long Orange County resident, and the son of immigrants, Neuhaus was sworn into office on January 1, 2014, after having served as the Town of Chester’s Supervisor for six years. He is currently serving as County Executive for a third four-year term, after running unopposed in 2021.

Neuhaus attended Monroe-Woodbury High School and took courses at SUNY Orange during his senior year. He went on to receive a bachelor’s degree in History/Political Science from Mount Saint Mary College as well as a Master of Public Administration degree from Marist College. He is also a graduate of Orange County’s Leadership Orange program. 

Neuhaus was promoted to Commander in the U.S. Navy Reserves in October 2022 and is currently assigned to the Office of the Naval Inspector General. He has earned two warfare designations: Seabee Combat Warfare (SCW) Officer and Navy Expeditionary Supply Corps Officer (NESCO) and holds certifications from the Naval War College and the Joint Special Operations University. Neuhaus served with the Combined Joint Special Operations Task Force on a six-month deployment to Iraq. Neuhaus has deployed to Iraq, Korea, Africa and served on active duty in Europe from mid-March through mid-May (2022) with the U.S. Navy’s Sixth Fleet in response to the crisis in Ukraine.

Neuhaus currently serves on both the County Executives of America (CEA) and the New York State Association of Counties (NYSAC) Boards of Directors and is the Second Vice President of the New York State County Executive’s Association.

Neuhaus lives with his family in Chester.