{{short description|American politician}} {{Infobox officeholder | honorific_prefix = | name = Michael Montesano | honorific_suffix = | image = | alt = | caption = | office = Nassau County District Judge | term_start = July 18, 2022 | term_end = | nominator = | appointer = | predecessor = | successor = | office1 = Member of the New York State Assembly<br />from the 15th district | term_start1 = February 9, 2010 | term_end1 = July 17, 2022 | predecessor1 = Rob Walker | successor1 = Jake Blumencranz <!--Personal data--> | birth_date = {{birth date and age|1954|10|16}}<ref name="GovBuddy"/><ref name="Law firm bio"/> | birth_place = Brooklyn, New York<ref name="Law firm bio"/> | party = Republican | spouse = | children = | alma_mater = St. John's University<br/>CUNY Law School<ref name="Assembly bio"/> | profession = | signature = Michael Montesano Signature.png | website = {{Official website|https://www.facebook.com/michael.montesano.330/|Facebook}} | footnotes = }}
'''Michael A. Montesano''' (born October 16, 1954<ref name="Law firm bio"/>) was member of the New York State Assembly representing the 15th district, which includes portions of the towns of Hempstead, North Hempstead and Oyster Bay in Nassau County on Long Island. A Republican, he was initially elected in a 2010 special election. Since 2022 he has served as a district judge of Nassau County.<ref name="court">{{cite web |title=Judges of the District Court |url=https://ww2.nycourts.gov/COURTS/10JD/nassau/district_directory.shtml |website=nycourts.gov |access-date=31 August 2023}}</ref>
==Early life== Montesano was born in Brooklyn, New York and grew up in the Gravesend neighborhood. He attended Saints Simon & Jude Elementary School before graduating from William E. Grady High School in 1973. He later worked for the Staten Island Rapid Transit Operating Authority, before becoming a dispatcher and with the New York City Emergency Medical Service in 1974, where he was eventually promoted to a supervising EMT. In 1979, Montesano moved to Glen Head, New York, and became a police officer in the New York City Police Department in 1981, later being promoted to detective.<ref name="Campaign bio"/>
In 1983, Montesano received an A.A.S. degree in Police Science from Nassau County Community College and later a B.S. degree in Criminal Justice from St. John's University. In 1989 he earned his Juris Doctor from the City University of New York School of Law at Queens College and was admitted to the New York State Bar Association.<ref name="Law firm bio"/><ref name="Assembly bio"/>
Montesano started a private practice law firm in 1990. He has served as Acting Village Justice and a Village Prosecutor for Roslyn Harbor. He has also been President of the North Shore School District Board of Education, and adjunct professor at the New York Institute of Technology.<ref name="Assembly bio"/>
==Political career== ===State Assembly=== After losing a close election for the Nassau County Legislature in 2009,<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.ourcampaigns.com/RaceDetail.html?RaceID=554948|title=Our Campaigns - Nassau County Legislature 18 Race - Nov 03, 2009|website=www.ourcampaigns.com|access-date=2019-02-06}}</ref> in February 2010 he won a special election to replace Assembly Rob Walker, who vacated the seat after being named Deputy County Executive of Nassau County.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.liherald.com/oysterbay/stories/assemblyman-says-he-doesnt-play-politics,102023|title=Assemblyman says he doesn't play politics|website=Herald Community Newspapers|language=en|access-date=2019-02-06}}</ref> Since then, he has won reelection five times.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.ourcampaigns.com/CandidateDetail.html?CandidateID=220076|title=Our Campaigns - Candidate - Michael A. Montesano|website=www.ourcampaigns.com|access-date=2019-02-06}}</ref> Montesano faced his closest election ever in 2018, when he defeated Democrat Allen Foley 53% to 47%.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.ourcampaigns.com/RaceDetail.html?RaceID=851766|title=Our Campaigns - NY Assembly 15 Race - Nov 06, 2018|website=www.ourcampaigns.com|access-date=2019-02-06}}</ref>
===District Judge=== Montesano refused to seek re-election in 2022, instead seeking election as a District Judge for Nassau County, successfully winning the election.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Destra |first1=Shantel |last2=McDonough |first2=Annie |title=2022 New York state legislative general election results |url=https://www.cityandstateny.com/politics/2022/11/2022-new-york-state-legislative-general-election-results/379489/ |website=City & State |access-date=31 August 2023}}</ref><ref name="court" />
==Personal life== Montesano has two grown children and resides in Glen Head, New York with his wife Donna and her two children.<ref name="Assembly bio" />
== References == <references> <ref name="Assembly bio">{{cite web |url= http://assembly.state.ny.us/mem/?ad=015&sh=bio |title= Michael Montesano: Biography |publisher= New York State Assembly |access-date= March 10, 2011}} </ref>
<ref name="Campaign bio">{{cite web |url= http://www.citizensformontesano.org/?q=biography |title= Michael Montesano: Biography |publisher= Citizens for Michael Montesano |access-date= March 10, 2011}} </ref>
<ref name="Law firm bio">{{cite web |url = http://www.montesano-law.com/DynamicAttorneys.shtml?wldpid=2935613_1&mailpagename=ObfuscatedForm&p=yes |title = Attorney Profile: Michael A. Montesano |publisher = Michael A. Montesano, P.C. |access-date = March 10, 2011 }}{{dead link|date=January 2018 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }} </ref>
<ref name="GovBuddy">{{cite web |url= http://www.govbuddy.com/directory/NY/michael-montesano/3283/ |title= Assembly Member Michael Montesano of New York |publisher= GovBuddy.com |access-date= March 10, 2011}} </ref> </references>
==External links== *[http://assembly.state.ny.us/mem/?ad=015 New York State Assembly website]
{{S-start}} {{S-par | us-ny-hs}} {{S-bef | before = Rob Walker}} {{s-ttl | title = New York State Assembly, 15th District | years = 2010 – 2022}} {{S-aft | after = Jake Blumencranz}} {{S-end}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Montesano, Michael A.}} Category:1954 births Category:Living people Category:Republican Party members of the New York State Assembly Category:People from Gravesend, Brooklyn Category:People from Glen Head, New York Category:People from Roslyn Harbor, New York Category:Nassau Community College alumni Category:St. John's University (New York City) alumni Category:CUNY School of Law alumni Category:21st-century members of the New York State Legislature