“Election 2010 Profile: Steve McLaughlin”

Election 2010 Profile: Steve McLaughlin

Posted: 21 Sep 2010 08:06 AM PDT

By Staff
The Record

Steve McLaughlin

Party: Republican

Seeking election to the NYS Assembly to represent the 108th District.

Biography (From campaign website):

"Steven Francis McLaughlin was born October 4, 1963 in Boston, MA, the third of four children. His father, Arthur W. McLaughlin, was born and raised in Boston. He served in the Army during WW II in the Pacific. He worked as a letter carrier for the United States Postal Service for most of his adult life. He passed away during Steve's senior year of high school.

Steve's mother, Winifred (Hanlon) McLaughlin grew up in Boston, MA. Her father Daniel, an Irish immigrant, was a truck driver and a proud member of the Teamster's union. She worked for the U.S. Post Office, eventually becoming Post Master. Wanting a better life for their young family, Steve's parents were the first in their families to purchase a home. They moved from Boston to the suburbs, settling in Wrentham, MA.

Steve had a typical suburban childhood and attended public elementary school and Xaverian Brothers High School. Wanting to become an airline pilot, Steve attended the Florida Institute of Technology and received his commercial and instrument airplane ratings. He then attended Arizona State University and studied Finance. He received his bachelor's degree from the University of the State of New York and his MBA from the University of Phoenix.

Steve began his aviation career here in Albany, landing his first flying job with Mall Airways. He started a small lawn care business in order to make extra money to pay his student loans. His next job was with another commuter airline, Brockway Air, which became Metro Air Northeast. That airline shut down during the first Gulf War. Steve then flew as a corporate pilot for Key Bank. From there, Steve went to the major airlines and flew the Airbus and Boeing 737 for America West and USAirways. After 9/11, the airline industry was in chaos and Steve was laid off along with the bottom 36% of the seniority list of USAirways. Steve has compiled over 12,000 hours of flight time (approximately 1½ years) with a perfect safety record.

Landing on his feet, Steve entered the mortgage banking industry with Citizens Bank and through hard work and dedication within one year was in the Presidents club and ranked in the top ten percent of all loan officers. Steve enjoyed guiding his clients through the biggest purchase of their lives and helping them pursue their dream of home ownership. Steve is now a Business Banking Officer with a local bank, helping small business owners improve their businesses every day.

On the personal side, Steve and Maggie (Bartis) McLaughlin were married in August of 1991. They have two active boys, Danny 14, and Sean 13. The boys play baseball, hockey, basketball and soccer and attend Hoosic Valley elementary school. Both were elected to the student council by their fellow students. Both are altar servers at St. Bonaventure in Speigletown. Danny recently received an award along with 5 of his classmates and top students from around the capital district in fitness, leadership and citizenship. Sean was the only student in his school to earn the Presidential Fitness Award last year.

Maggie taught for 14 years at Glenmont School in Bethlehem and currently teaches kindergarten in Lansingburgh at Turnpike elementary. In the family tradition of community service, Maggie served as Chairman of the Schaghticoke Youth Commission, taught religious education at St. Bonaventure and served as a member of the Parish Council and served as president of Hoosick Valley PTO (parent teachers organization).

Steve and Maggie are doing their absolute best to raise good kids. They worry about how to pay New York's crushing property taxes and high cost of living and still save for their sons education. A typical suburban family, the McLaughlin family believes that character means doing the right thing when no one is watching. They strive to teach their sons that education, leadership, character and community service are the vital ingredients to a successful, fulfilling life."

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