The Future Business Leaders began in New York State in 1946 when Dobbs Ferry High School was chartered as the first chapter in the state. Eighteen years later, on April 15, 1964, New York State was chartered as the 35^th State Association of the Future Business Leaders of America. 

The state was originally divided into thirteen districts whose boundaries were set up in accordance with the State Education Department Planning Regions. Subsequently, due to its large geographic size and population, in 1981, District 1 was divided into two districts by county: District 1 Nassau (1N) and District 1 Suffolk (1S). In 2001, District 3 was divided into District 3 North (3N) and District 3 South (3S) bringing the new total number of districts within New York State to fifteen.

In 1967 the New York State Association of FBLA came under the auspices of the Bureau of Business Education in the New York State Education Department in Albany. Mr. Hobart H. Conover, Chief of the Bureau of Business Education at that time, was named State Chairman; Mr. Elton T. Murphy, Associate of the Bureau, was named the first State Adviser. Today, our State Chairperson is Mr. Dennis Kagel, Supervisor of Occupational Education for the New York State Education Department. On March 20, 1970 FBLA received an absolute charter from the University of the State of New York. Within five years our state had grown to 125 chapters; after ten years New York State increased to 151 chapters.

Today, New York State has a 170 chapters with student membership at 5,600 and a Professional Division membership of 200.