Profiles

David F. Fleming, Jr.

Governmental Relations

Chief Operating Officer

David was appointed Chief Operating Officer of the firm in January 2017. For more than thirty years he has provided association management and legislative representation services for a variety of clients and in relation to many of the most pressing issues in Albany. He has a diverse background in representing some of New York’s largest industries to some of the smallest not-for-profits and advocacy organizations. David has published articles and been asked to speak at state and international conferences on legislative advocacy and governmental cooperation.

He is widely recognized as a state expert in cemetery regulation and management, having represented cemetery organizations, including many of New York’s largest cemeteries, since 1995. During his more than twenty-nine years of advocating cemetery interests, David has negotiated some of the most significant changes in cemetery and cremation policy in New York which are now utilized as national models for cemetery regulation. During the pandemic of 2020, he has been an emergency management resource to state and national organizations in death care planning and response while also managing cemetery operations.

David was also tasked with managing the town takeover of the largest cemetery abandonment in state history, resulting in nearly a $2.5 million restoration of a cemetery operation before its management was assumed under municipal governance. His work has involved over $100 million in various cemetery projects and related development. 

Prior to his time at FCM, David served as an administrative and policy assistant for social welfare programs under the Director of Clinical Affairs for the Governor of Massachusetts. Before joining the Governor of Massachusetts, David was a full-time political consultant, working on all aspects of electoral politics in presidential, gubernatorial, attorney general, congressional, state representative and mayoral campaigns. He began his legislative career as a district aide and policy advisor.

In addition to his current management and legislative representation at FCM, David has been a Judicial Delegate as well as the longest tenured Supervisor of the Town of Nassau, New York, since its founding in 1806. In this capacity, he serves as the elected chief executive and financial officer, representing several thousand people and nearly 50 square miles of Southern Rensselaer County. He has also led and served on not-for-profit boards representing interests as diverse as municipal finance, cemetery scholarship and community support programs, to agricultural and forest conservation.

David is a native of Averill Park, New York and holds a B.A. degree from Gordon College.

You can contact David by email to dff@fcmlaw.org or by telephone at (518) 436-0786 Ext. 437.