 From 1995 to 1998, he served as the Chairman of the Putnam County Industrial Development Agency in New York.Birmingham, a Republican, was elected to the first of three terms with the County Legislature in November 2003, succeeding Robert Pozzi who had been elected as Carmel, New York Town Supervisor.Birmingham defeated David Bruen, Putnam's first County Executive, by 143 votes and Southeast Supervisor Lois Zutell who ran on the Conservative Party line (and received 157 votes).