William M. Clay
Assistant Commissioner of the Minority and Women-Owned Business Enterprises (M/WBE) and Community Relations Office at the New York State Office of General Services (OGS).
He was honored to rejoin the agency again in 2007 after retiring with 35 years of service.
Under his leadership the following was accomplished: initiated the first OGS Managers M/WBE Advisory Committee quarterly meetings; opened the first M/WBE Satellite Office on the Empire State Plaza Concourse in Albany; developed interactive M/WBE performance measures that provide for the improvement of OGS compliance practices and vendor accountability; increased office staff resources; improved dialogue and renewed partnership with Empire State Development; developed an interactive M/WBE website; worked with Counsel’s Office to update OGS contract language; initiated new M/WBE outreach procedures (regional Helping Hand Workshops and Consultant & Construction Symposiums) that helped OGS improve its M/WBE goals; and increased agency visibility and integrity by conducting community awareness meetings.
Mr. Clay first joined OGS in 1964 as a Capital Police Officer and rose through the ranks to become the first African-American Captain. In 1981, Governor Hugh Cary issued Executive Order 117, which prescribed arrangements for establishing and coordinating a program for Minority Business Enterprises (MBE). Shortly after, John C. Egan, Commissioner of OGS appointed William Clay as Director of the MBE program. In this position he had the responsibility of instituting and organizing the first state-wide MBE program. Two years later Governor Mario Cuomo issued Executive Order 21, which superseded Executive Order 117, and included Women and established an Executive Committee on Minority and Women Owned Business Development (M/WBE).
Upon his retirement, Mr. Clay served 15 years as President of his own private investigation and security firm – C & P Investigations, which he formed in 1993. In 2007 he was elected to a second term in the Albany County Legislature to represent residents of the 13th Legislative District. He had previously held the seat by appointment for six months in 2003-2004 to fill a vacancy.
Mr. Clay has won numerous awards throughout the years for his work to promote minority and women-owned business development. He serves on the: City of Albany Planning Board, Albany County Human Services Advisory Board, Albany Police Foundation Board, Community Loan Fund Development Committee, Chairman of the Budget Committee of the Albany County Industrial Development Agency (ACIDA).
He is a member of the: NYS Security Guard Advisory Council, Associated Licensed Detectives of NYS, Inc., NAACP Albany Branch, Vice President of 100 Black Men, Inc. of the Capital Region, Board of Deacons for the Metropolitan New Testament Missionary Baptist Church of Albany and President of the Board of Directors of Drake Manor Senior Housing.
Mr. Clay attended Hudson Valley Community College, Cornell University, the State University of New York at Albany, Empire State College and Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute.
