The fifth county executive, and the first Democrat in that office, was Alfred Benedict Del Bello, elected in 1973. He was re-elected in 1977 and 1981.

As county executive, Mr. Del Bello ran a fiscally conservative government to deal with the economic recession that was gripping the country. The county's unemployment rate was at seven percent - a post-Depression high. Mr. Del Bello managed to keep the tax rate relatively stable despite the growth of county government. He worked with minority representatives for increased social and health-related services. His most important contribution was the building of the Westchester County Medical Center. Other accomplishments include the vast garbage-recycling plant near Peekskill, several secondary treatment plants and establishing a countywide bus system. He created the first Office for the Disabled and the first Office for Women in the state. The county's only boat launching ramp on Long Island Sound was built at Glen Island Park and bicycle paths were constructed along the Bronx River Parkway. An infamous riot at the Westchester County Jail occurred during his tenure in 1981 and caused a million dollars in damages.

Mr Del Bello was born on Nov. 3, 1934 in Yonkers. He graduated from Halsted School and, in 1956, from Manhattan College, with majors in economics and political science. He received his law degree from Fordham University Law School and entered private practice after a brief tour with the National Guard. Mr. Del Bello's political career started as councilman in Yonkers, before he became mayor of Yonkers in 1970.

Mr. Del Bello left county government to become Lieutenant Governor in 1982. Three years later he resigned and left public service to accept a job in private industry.

Edwin Gilbert Michaelian became the fourth county executive serving from 1958 to 1973.

Mr. Michaelian brought a new perspective to the office of county executive and was identified with much of the county's postwar growth. He often served as spokesman for the suburbs in Albany and Washington on such issues as commuter railroads and federal aid sharing to localities. During his administration, the new county courthouse was built in the urban renewal area on Grove Street in White Plains. Several large corporations were attracted to Westchester, such as IBM, Nestle, PepsiCo, Texaco, AT&T, as well as smaller companies and retail stores. Westchester Community College was moved to the new Valhalla campus. SUNY- Purchase, specializing in fine arts and drama, was established. His plans for a new Westchester Medical Center at Grasslands were approved. During his 16-year tenure the county acquired some 4,000 acres of parkland. It purchased Muscoot Park in Somers for a model restoration farm, added to Ward Pound Ridge Reservation, built a sportsmen's center at Blue Mountain Park in Cortlandt, and acquired 120 acres from the Devereux family in Rye for conservancy purposes as well as the John Jay Homestead in Katonah and land around the Kensico and Croton Dam Plazas. The large Sprain Ridge Swimming Pool Complex was opened during 1971. He established the first sales tax for county government in 1972.

Mr. Michaelian, a native New Yorker of Armenian ancestry, was born in 1906. The family moved to White Plains in 1913. After graduating from Yale and achieving Phi Beta Kappa membership, he worked as a salesman and became a successful businessman. Mr. Michaelian's public service started in 1939 as White Plains councilman, included military service as a naval officer in World War II from 1943 to 1945, and then mayor of White Plains from 1950-1957. He became known as Mr. Republican who spent a lifetime in politics, though a non-lawyer. After his retirement he helped found and direct the Institute of Sub/Urban Governance at Pace University. Mr. Michaelian died of a heart attack on Sept. 9, 1983.

The county office building at 148 Martine Avenue was renamed the Edwin G. Michaelian County Office Building.

James Daniel Hopkins was elected the third Republican County Executive in 1953.

During his term as County Executive, Westchester acquired a 370-acre tract of the Hartford Estate in Valhalla as the permanent site for Westchester Community College and land for the Dunwoodie Golf Course in Yonkers and for the Saxon Woods Pool in White Plains. Formation of the Westchester Parkway Authority led to modernization of the County parkway system. He created a County program for the aged, introduced a permanent election registration system and established the Ruth Taylor Institute for the chronically ill. He spearheaded efforts that led to the building of a new County Courthouse in White Plains. After one term he left the County Executive's office to pursue his real love in public service: the law.

Mr. Hopkins was born March 24, 1911. He attended a one-room school in Armonk and Pleasantville High School, then graduated from Columbia College in 1931 and Columbia Law School in 1933. Mr. Hopkins began his political career as Councilman of the Town of North Castle (1939-1943), was elected Supervisor of that town (1944-1953) and served as Chairman of the Board of Supervisors 1952-1953. In 1960, he was appointed to the State Supreme Court and was twice elected to a 14-year term. He served as a justice in the Appellate Division of the New York Supreme Court from 1962 until his retirement in 1981, then continued as Interim Dean of Pace University School of Law from 1982-1983.

Judge Hopkins was the only Westchester resident to lead all three branches of County government: legislative, executive and judicial. He died on January 4, 1996 after a series of strokes.

Herbert Clinton Gerlach was named interim County Executive in August 1941, and elected to his first full term on November 1941, followed by two additional terms.

From 1925-1934, he served as Supervisor of Ossining and between 1930-1934 served as Chairman of the County Board of Supervisors. In June 1939, he was appointed County Commissioner of Finance, and two years later he was elected County Executive. Mr. Gerlach campaigned for state aid to support the County parkways and for cost-of-living supplements for county workers. He helped the County to acquire the Army airfield at Rye Lake which became the Westchester County Airport where commercial airline service was introduced a week before his 1949 re-election.

Born in Ossining on February 23, 1891, Mr. Gerlach attended public schools, graduated from Ossining High School as valedictorian and received his law degree from Syracuse University in 1914. During World War I, Mr. Gerlach enlisted in the U.S. Army as an officers candidate in the cavalry at Madison Barracks, but later switched to the U.S. Navy and was called into active service stationed at Pelham Bay. After the war, he practiced law and represented the Rockefeller interests in locating the United Nations headquarters in Westchester, a proposal that died in 1946 due to vociferous local opposition.

In 1953, Mr. Gerlach retired as County Executive and returned to private law practice. Meanwhile, he had become GOP County Chairman, a post that he held until his death. Mr. Gerlach Died on August 28, 1958.