 The Albany Nail Factory eventually became the Rensselaer Iron Works, which under Corning's guidance installed the first Bessemer converter in the United States.By the time he was 40, Corning had helped found the Albany State Bank (he would serve as president until his death), been named to the board of regents for the University of the State of New York, begun speculating on land in western New York (including the townsite that bears his name), and had been elected mayor of Albany.Corning served a single term as mayor, from 1834 until 1837, having been elected as a Democrat.