By Jerrica Andrews
Photo by Jessica McCafferty
Hometown - West Plattsburgh
Family - Wife Janie and blended family of seven children and eleven grandchildren
Education - Accounting and Law, Clarkson University
Occupation- General Contractor, Developer
Clyde Rabideau has led a unique life as the only person in New York State to have been elected mayor of both a city and a village. Born and raised in West Plattsburgh, he attended Saranac Central School, where he was an All-State Wrestler and All-Conference Football player. After a brief time in the Army, Rabideau attended Clarkson University to study accounting and law. Upon earning his degree, he returned to the North Country to start a contracting business, Rabideau Corp., which built homes in the area. The business quickly expanded into commercial and industrial buildings. With Rabideau Corp well established, he ventured into a chain of convenience stores, which were later sold to SugarCreek Stores Inc.
Rabideau then focused on public office, serving first as an alderman in Plattsburgh and then running for Mayor in 1989. He won the election and served five consecutive terms before moving to his wife Janie’s, hometown of Saranac Lake. It wasn’t long before Rabideau had the urge to return to public office. Elected mayor of Saranac Lake in 2010, he served three terms before ending his political career in 2022.
These days, Rabideau has more free time for hobbies and has taken up painting. Working with acrylics in an impressionist style, he paints mostly Adirondack scenes and will have his first solo showing this month at Coldwell Banker Whitbeck Associates’ Main Street offices in Saranac Lake.
The following are excerpts from Clyde Rabideau’s recent conversation with Strictly Business:
SB: What important lessons did you learn early in your career?
CR: Ingenuity can replace cash. Ignorance is lethal. Integrity is everything.
SB: Who were your mentors and how did they influence you?
CR: Phil Corell, my wrestling coach, taught me to carry myself in public with honor and humility. Joe Bornstein, “The Old Soldier,” taught me the strength in public speaking brevity and the virtues of being a Happy Warrior. Herb Carpenter taught me how to focus, focus, focus. Chuck Racette taught me the power of creativity in real estate. Bob Carpenter taught me the value of pride in craftsmanship.
SB: What’s the best piece of advice you’ve ever received?
CR: My father told me this as I started wrestling in high school, which crossed over to everything I’ve ever done, “You always have more strength inside you no matter what happens or how tired you think are. You always have more strength. Always.”
SB: What advice would you give to young people starting out in their careers?
CR: Do your homework, develop a plan, have mentors and experts critique it, and have the courage to execute would be the first part. The second part would be, “You’re bound to be knocked down a few times and your character test will be how fast you get up and how you respond.”
SB: What do you feel was your greatest accomplishment in public office?
CR: I thought helping to bring Bombardier to Plattsburgh after the base closure was the biggest deal, but now I am wondering if nick-naming Plattsburgh “The Lake City” could be it.
SB: How do you work with others in difficult situations?
CR: Everything is attitude. A positive attitude must be established from the get-go and a bit of humor from then on helps.
SB: What are some common misconceptions about you?
CR: Having been a mayor for a third of my life and never able to make all the people happy all the time, I am sure there are more misconceptions than I can count, but those who have those notions should know I bleed. I have feelings. And I can be hurt. I’ve really tried to do my best.
SB: What are you most proud of professionally?
CR: I am most proud of staying in business for nearly a half century and keeping employees with us for decades. Long-term employees are a testament to creating a positive and fulfilling work environment.
SB: What inspires you?
CR: In real estate, it’s taking a piece of property nobody really noticed or cared about and turning it into something beautiful, creating a “Wow” reaction. In local government, it’s forming a community where its citizens see a positive future for their families that’s safe and affordable. It’s a never-ending process with tangibles, intangibles, obstacles, and naysayers, but it still charges me up and I think the secret is building “one brick at a time.” Sometimes, local leaders get caught up in that one “big thing” that will make all the difference, whereas more often it’s a lot of smaller things, put in place on a consistent basis, that makes the real difference over the long run. Nuts and bolts stuff isn’t all that glamorous in local government, but it’s crucial.
SB: What do you do with your free time?
CR: I have taken up painting. I am an impressionist, painting mostly landscapes with some portraiture work. Coldwell Banker Whitbeck Associates is sponsoring my first individual show at their Main Street office in Saranac Lake this March. I also love to cook, and I am addicted to buying kitchen gadgets and trying out new recipes. My wife is very patient about this affliction.
SB: If you could have dinner and spend an evening with someone well known, who would you choose?
CR: I’d choose Barack Obama. I may not have agreed with all his political moves, but I admired his grace and the way he connected with people. He maintained class in the face of the usual static presidents suffer and he also endured racism as our first black president. I think Barack is a remarkable and intriguing human being. The three biggest memories I have of him are when he bent down so a young black boy could feel the hair on his head, when he high-kicked open a door as he exited a news conference, and when he spontaneously sang Amazing Grace during a eulogy he was giving.
SB: What is something no one would guess about you?
CR: I sometimes get a tear in my eye watching Hallmark Christmas movies with
my wife.
SB: How would you like to be remembered?
CR: I hope I made a positive difference for both Plattsburgh and Saranac Lake. I put forward a lot of ideas, many were good, some not so much, some stuck and some withered, but I kept punching, took a few blows in return, and I persevered.
SB: What do you think the North Country needs to ensure future prosperity?
CR: In a word: Leadership. We’ve been blessed with good, elected leaders with vision on many levels. Art LeFevre, the long-term Supervisor of the Town of Plattsburgh, is an example of one of them. He fought tooth and nail for the infrastructure that’s facilitated so much growth in the town. Unelected leaders are just as important. Herb Carpenter and Garry Douglass are two of them that have made a big difference for over a generation in the public arena and, even more importantly, behind the scenes. For recent evidence, one need look no further than the recruitment of Micro Bird Bus Company to Plattsburgh to fill the space being left by Nova Bus. That was a trademark Garry Douglass move, featuring decades-long contact maintenance, adroit marketing and dogged determination. Finding and cultivating replacements for Garry and Herb is vital.
Comments