Philadelphia Fire Commissioner Adam Thiel named managing director under Cherelle Parker
PHILADELPHIA - Mayor-elect Cherelle Parker has announced her pick for managing director of Philadelphia, and he is currently serving the city in a different role.
Adam Thiel has been the Fire Commissioner for the City of Philadelphia since May 2016, and the Director of the Philadelphia Office of Emergency Management from 2019 to 2022.
Parker named Thiel as her managing director during a press conference Tuesday, stating he will begin his new role next week.
The city's Managing Director oversees several departments, including community services, public safety, and transportation, and is currently held by Tumar Alexander.
"When the Mayor-elect calls, you stop what you are doing and you listen," Theil explained. "It was not something I considered and, I tell you, her leadership is so energizing and that vision, to me, is so compelling."
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Thiel is the latest person to be appointed under Parker's incoming administration.
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"He's been a chief fire officer, an emergency manager, an incident commander, a fire and emergency services instructor, a hazardous materials team leader," Parker said. "Thiel is a big thinker. He sees the big picture and how all of the collaboration at the federal, state and local level, how all of that collaboration is essential."
A new fire commissioner has yet to be named, but Parker says her team is searching for a replacement.
Last week, Parker named her chief of staff and two deputy mayors, along with several other positions. She is set to be sworn in as the city's next mayor next week.