Harry Wilson

Harry J. Wilson (born October 25, 1971) is an American businessman, former investor and turnaround expert He was defeated by incumbent Democrat Thomas DiNapoli in the general election on November 2, 2010.

On February 22, 2022, Wilson announced his candidacy for Governor of New York in the 2022 election, he lost the Republican primary, coming in last with 14.7% of the vote.

Early life and education Harry Wilson is the son of Jim and Niki Wilson. Jim was a resident of Johnstown, New York, and Niki was born and raised in central Greece before moving to Johnstown. Jim was a bartender, and Niki was a housewife and later a sewing machine operator. He obtained an AB with honors in government and an MBA from Harvard University, where he was president of the Harvard Republican Club in 1991; in that role, Wilson was outspoken in his efforts to increase the club's appeal to women with a "big tent" approach.

Business career

Wilson has worked for Blackstone Group and Goldman Sachs. He later became a partner at Silver Point Capital before his retirement at the age of 36.

Wilson is the CEO of the MAEVA Group, an advisory firm he founded in White Plains, New York in 2011. In March 2021 he was appointed CEO of Genesis HealthCare.

Wilson has spent much of his professional life engaged in corporate restructurings and turnarounds. Prior to joining MAEVA Group in 2011, he worked with Goldman Sachs, Clayton, Dubilier & Rice, The Blackstone Group, and Silver Point Capital, and became a partner at Silver Point Capital. In 2009, he was appointed as a senior advisor at the United States Department of the Treasury and one of the co-chairs of the Auto Task Force, which helped restructure General Motors and Chrysler under the supervision of the federal government.

Politics and government After a career as a money management executive, Wilson left the business world to pursue charity work and public service at the age of 36. He served on President Barack Obama's auto industry crisis task force. He took the position at the age of 37 with the Treasury Department in March, 2009 at the request of Steven Rattner, the lead adviser on the auto industry crisis. Wilson was also one of four senior advisers for the U.S. Treasury Department under President Obama.

Lee Zeldin, a 2022 Republican primary opponent in the governor's race, has criticized Wilson's efforts to save GM as "working for Obama ", but neglects to say that Wilson saved several thousand jobs GM jobs for New York workers, both at GM locations and GM supplier locations in New York State,

In 2009, Wilson was a member of Westchester County Executive-elect Rob Astorino's transition team. It was the first time since 1976 that a challenger had swept all three endorsements. Wilson conceded defeat the day after the election. as Wilson had the closest showing for a New York statewide Republican campaign since 2002.

Fundraising for Republican candidates In 2012, Wilson raised funds for the unsuccessful campaigns of Republican candidates Matt Doheny for Congress and Wendy Long for the United States Senate.

Potential 2018 campaign for Governor of New York Wilson considered running for governor in the 2018 New York gubernatorial race against incumbent Andrew Cuomo, and had vowed to spend $10 million of his own money on the campaign. Though he was regarded as a favorite by some Republican leaders, in December 2017, he announced his decision not to run, as he did not want to spend the time away from his family.

2022 campaign for Governor of New York

In January 2022, the New York Post reported that Wilson was considering running for governor in the 2022 election.

Wilson announced his candidacy for governor of New York on February 22, 2022. Fox News reported that Wilson would invest $12 million of his own money in the race, and that he would release an immediate statewide advertising blitz.

Wilson faced three other candidates in the Republican gubernatorial primary.

Wilson promised to reduce the size of the New York State government by eliminating waste and inefficiencies, something done throughout his business career. He promised to cut income taxes by 20% and property taxes by another 20%

Personal life Wilson married Eva Romas in 1997. They have four daughters, and live in Scarsdale, New York. Wilson is a member of the Greek Orthodox Church.

Electoral history