Robert Tucker named new FDNY commissioner: Who is he?
NEW YORK CITY - NYC Mayor Eric Adams has named Robert Tucker as the next FDNY commissioner, the 35th person to lead the department.
Who is Robert Tucker, new FDNY commissioner?
Tucker has served on the Board of Directors of the FDNY Foundation, which raises money to help fund programs that advance the department's goal.
In a profile on the foundation’s website, Tucker recounted how, as a young boy growing up in Manhattan, he was a fire buff chasing fire engines on his bike.
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In 2014, then Commissioner Sal Cassano named Tucker honorary fire commissioner.
Tucker graduated from George Washington University and the Pace University School of Law.
He worked as a special assistant to then Queens District Attorney Richard Brown before joining T&M USA, a private security firm.
Laura Kavanagh announces resignation
The FDNY's top job became available after Laura Kavanaugh, the first woman to serve as commissioner, announced plans to resign. Wednesday was her last day on the job. She appeared on Good Day New York the day before.
"Women actually do have shorter tenures at the top of all organizations," Kavanagh said. "So, whether it's a commissioner or CEO, being first can come with needing to do 150% every day. You know you look different in the job. You do different things in the job and certainly sometimes have to explain to people kind of who you are and why you're there."
Kavanaugh had a rocky tenure in a department dominated by men. Last year, four male chiefs filed suit against her, claiming that three of them had been wrongly demoted.
"Me and some of my executive staff have had some disagreements, but that's typical in leadership," she said. "You know, there were three people that I moved from one position to another, you know, that's less than 1% of my 17,000 people."