History of AXA

In 1955, a member of the Newark, New Jersey Executives Association met with Don Lewis and 13 other area businessmen with a vision of organizing an Albany Executives Association. The Association was incorporated September 29, 1957 with 14 Charter Members. In the year 2005, 2 of these members still remain; Key Bank, and Rose & Kiernan. Over the years, the meetings have been held at Keelers, Ten Eyck Hotel, Petit Paris (all now defunct), the Crossroads, Italian American Community Center and Shaker Ridge Country Club. Since the association's inception, there have been four Executive Directors and two attorneys (the first for two years, and the other since that time). Harold Rissberger of National Commercial Bank (now Key Bank) was permanent Chairman of the Board of Directors until he retired from the Bank in 1965. At that time, Greg Hatt became Chairman and served for 9 years until the association established that the Chairman position rotates among past Presidents.