Kevin Nichols
Kevin F. Nichols was born in Potsdam, New York, in 1956. He lived in the North Country until 1970, when his parents moved to Niagara Falls, New York. Kevin graduated from Niagara University in 1983. In his junior year, he applied for and was accepted into the New York State Assembly intern program. The program was an academic course of study conducted in the New York State Assembly. As part of the program, In addition to attending classes, Kevin performed a number of duties for the Assemblyman to whom he was assigned, including meeting with lobbyists and performing constituent services for the residence of the Assembly District.

    After graduating Niagara University in 1983 with a degree in Political Science, Kevin applied for and was accepted at the Suffolk University School of Management in Boston, Massachusetts. He enrolled in the course studies for a Master in Public Administration. He graduated from Suffolk University with an MPA in February 1988.

    During his studies at Suffolk University, Kevin worked at a homeless shelter that was run by the Boston City government. While at the shelter, Kevin's function was to link the homeless residents of the shelter with services related to health care, mental health care and employment. While at the shelter, Kevin developed an employment program specifically designed to rescue homeless people by providing them with a job and then finding affordable housing.

    After working at the homeless shelter for two years, Kevin moved on to work for the City's Labor Relations Department. He was employed as a Labor Relations Analyst under the Democratic administration of Ray Flynn in the City of Boston. He performed contract administration and negotiated collective bargaining agreements on behalf of the Mayor with the City's various unions. While in that position, Kevin was part of a team that addressed the issue of pay equity to correct the problem of disparate impact upon women under the City's compensation classification plan. He studied the job duties of women in administrative staff positions and compared them with the mostly male employees in environmental services, mechanical classifications and other such job classifications. As part of the collective bargaining team, a comprehensive approach addressed the pay equity issue and both management team and the union negotiating team reached an agreement to provide upgraded classifications to address the pay equity issue.

    Kevin was also responsible for hearing the grievances of all the unionized employees of the City. He lived by one rule when hearing grievances; treat the employees the way you would want them to treat you.

    In the fall of 1988, Kevin applied for and was accepted into the New England School of Law and studied in that law school's night division. After four years of working full time with the City's Office of Labor Relations and studying at night, Kevin graduated from the New England School of Law in May of 1992.

    In February of 1993, Kevin and his wife, Pamela, moved back to the North Country with their newborn son, Alexander, who was born in Boston in November of 1992.

    Now a partner in the law firm of Poissant, Nichols & Grue, P.C., Kevin has been an active trial lawyer representing clients in the fields of personal injury, divorce, employment discrimination and those charged with crimes. The Firm employs 12 people. It provides health care coverage and 401(k) retirement plans for its employees. The firm also has paid sick time and paid vacation time up to five weeks a year depending on length of service.

    Kevin lives in Malone, New York with his wife Pam, son Alex and daughter Grace who was born in 1995 at the Adirondack Medical Center in Saranac Lake, NY. In addition to working at the law firm, Kevin has been very active in community service. On January 4, 2004, he was awarded the Legion of Merit from the New York District of the Kiwanis Club for his dedication and service to the community as a member of the Kiwanis Club of Malone during the previous ten years. While a member of the Kiwanis Club of Malone, Kevin was also recognized as a distinguished President for his volunteer service during the ice storm of 1998. He also was instrumental in the construction of the new Kiwanis fair stand at the Franklin County Fairgrounds.

    Kevin is also an active member of the Elks Lodge of Malone, Lodge 1303. He currently serves as an officer in the lodge. He earned the distinction of "Elk of the Year" in 2004. He has served on the House Committee there for several years. He served as the Chairperson of that committee during the 2004-2005 term. He was instrumental in bringing Senator Hillary Clinton to the Lodge in July of 2002, where she spoke to many local residents and elected officials personally on important national and local issues.

    Kevin also helped a dedicated group of people to establish a YMCA in the Village of Malone. When faced with opposition to this project by a small number of people, Kevin decided to spend his own money to institute a necessary legal action in order to make this project possible. Kevin was part of this dedicated group of volunteers who went on to raise $250,000 to open this great facility. As a result of this group's effort, the YMCA now serves over 250 children and adults of the Greater Malone community every day. Kevin was elected to serve on the Malone YMCA Board of Directors when it opened. He continues this service today.

    Kevin also helped with the fund raising effort for the Malone Campus of the North Country Community College. Networking with the Kiwanis Club of Malone, Kevin was able to provide the Club's fair stand facility in order to attempt to set a record in the Guinness World Book of Records by serving the most spaghetti dinners in one day. Although that record is still in question, there is no question that the event helped raise thousands of dollars towards the construction of the Ballard Mill Campus, which now stands in Malone, New York and serves as the North Country Community College presence in northern Franklin County. Today, thanks in no small part to the Ballard Mill Campus, North Country Community College has one of the fastest growing enrollments of all community colleges in New York State. Kevin currently serves on the North Country Community College Foundation Board.

    Kevin has also been very active in the Boy Scouts of America in the Adirondack District. He began his involvement when his son Alex was a Cub Scout in Pack 61 of Malone. He sought the necessary professional training to become a Leader in the Pack. As a leader, he spent his vacation at Cub Scout camp with the Pack. As his son advanced in rank and then into the Boy Scout Troop 61 of Malone, so too did Kevin. He continued to go the Boy Scout Summer Camp with the Troop, became Assistant Scoutmaster and the moved on to the Committee for Troop 61. He was selected to be the Chairperson of the Adirondack District of the Twin Rivers Council for the Boy Scouts of America. He serves on the Executive Committee for the Twin Rivers Council as well. Currently he is working with other scout leaders in the District to raise $50,000 to support this important organization and its valuable programs. The District serves over 1,100 scouts in Clinton, Essex and Franklin Counties. He was recently invited into the Order of the Arrow, the Honor Society of the Boy Scouts of America.

    In addition to the YMCA, the Boy Scouts and the Elks Lodge, Kevin makes time for one of the most effective agents of change in a community - the local government's political committees. The Democratic voters of Malone's Election District 7 first elected Kevin in 1997 to the Malone Town Democratic Committee. In 1999, his fellow Committee persons elevated him to the position of Chairperson of that body. Since then, Kevin has worked with his committee to find qualified candidates for local village and town offices. He developed a major fundraising vehicle in the Committee's Annual Golf Tournament that brings out golfers and duffers from all political stripes.

    Kevin's education, work experience and community involvement has led him to this point in North Country history. He demonstrates the work ethic we should expect from a member of the legislature. Hard work and long hours are no stranger to him. Since entering Graduate School in 1983, he has filled his days from the early morning to the late evening hours with both work and education; both work and community involvement. As a Member of the Assembly Kevin will have a home doing what he does best; he will work hard to educate himself to find ways to make our community a better place to work, live and raise our children. Electing Kevin F. Nichols to the 114th District of the New York State Assembly is the voters' best choice for a better North Country.