Matthew comes to SUNY with a wide and diverse background. Some highlights from his career include:

Director of the New York State Canal Corporation, a subsidiary of the New York State Thruway Authority. The Corporation’s mission was to operate, maintain, modernize and redevelop the canal system for recreational and economic development uses New York State’s 524-mile historic canal system. As Director, Mr. Behrmann was responsible for the formation and management of the Corporation’s $70 million a year budget and oversight and management of its more than 500 employees. 

Prior to New York State service, Mr. Behrmann was employed at the nationally acclaimed law firm, Verner, Liipfert, Bernhard, McPherson and Hand, as a Legislative and Defense Affairs consultant. Mr. Behrmann specialized in defense infrastructure and military base reuse issues. 

Prior to joining Verner-Liipfert, Mr. Behrmann served as the Staff Director of the Defense Base Closure and Realignment Commission. The Commission is an independent body appointed by the President to conduct a review and analysis of the Department of Defense recommendations to realign or close excess and obsolete military bases. As Staff Director, Mr. Behrmann oversaw all activities of the Commission, which over two closure rounds recommended that over 250 military bases be closed or realigned with a projected annual saving to US taxpayers of $3.6 billion. To this end, Mr. Behrmann devised and managed an exhaustive nation-wide hearing and base visit process. In this capacity, Mr. Behrmann represented Commissioners in various national media formats, including: television interviews, radio and print interviews, public meetings, televised round-table discussions, and editorial board meetings.

Prior to his service on the Commission, Mr. Behrmann worked on Capitol Hill for seven years in various capacities. He last served as Chief of Staff to Congressman Jim Courter (R-NJ), whose twelve year career was distinguished by the Congressman’s service on the Armed Services Committee and culminated in his appointment by the President as Chairman of the Defense Base Closure and Realignment Commission. 

Mr. Behrmann also worked for Congressman Joe DioGuardi (R-NY) where he served as a Professional Staff Member to the House Government Operations Subcommittee on Employment and Housing. Under Chairman Tom Lantos (D-CA), the Subcommittee established an extensive legislative history on diverse worker and employment issues, among them: workplace safety, fair employment, cafeteria benefit plan availability, worker retraining, minimum wage, pension plan funding as well as oversight of various Federal, labor-related agencies. Under other legislative disciplines, Mr. Behrmann's efforts contributed to the passage of landmark legislation to provide drug-free public housing and stiffer penalties for the distribution of Crack cocaine. Prior to his assignment on the Government Operations Subcommittee, Mr. Behrmann served on Congressman DioGuardi's personal staff as a senior Legislative Assistant. He also participated in the annual House Republican Conference in 1987 as the Staff Finance Chairman and in 1990 as a member of its Steering Committee. 

Mr. Behrmann attended the Virginia Polytechnical Institute and State University where he earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science.