Who is Adam Thiel, Philadelphia's next managing director?
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) - Adam Thiel, Philadelphia's current fire commissioner, was named the city's next managing director Tuesday, appearing at a news conference with Mayor-elect Cherelle Parker and other members of her transition team, including Kevin Bethel, the next police commissioner.
Thiel will take office next week after Parker is sworn in as Philadelphia's 100th mayor.
The 44-year-old said managing director wasn't a job he initially sought out, but he was drawn to Parker's vision for the city.
"I can tell you that's what got me. I'm all in," Thiel said. "Safer, cleaner, greener. We can do that under the mayor-elect's vision."
Parker will become the first woman and first Black woman to lead Philadelphia on Jan. 1. Her public inauguration will be Tuesday, Jan. 2.
Here are five things to know about Thiel, the managing director position and what's next for the city's fire commissioner.
Who is Adam Thiel?
Thiel has been Philadelphia's fire commissioner since May 2016 and also served as the director of the Philadelphia Office of Emergency Management from 2019 to 2022.
During his time as director of the OEM, Thiel was part of city leadership that responded to the coronavirus pandemic and the 2020 civil unrest after George Floyd was murdered by a police officer in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Thiel also was front and center after a Jan. 2022 fire in Fairmount killed 12 people, including eight children.
Earlier this month, the Philadelphia Fire Department received a $22.4 million grant from FEMA, which will allow three companies to reopen. One of the fire companies is Ladder 1 in Francisville, which would have been the closest ladder to the Fairmount fire. Thiel said reopening the companies will increase the fire department's overall capacity to provide dedicated service across the city.
Thiel has over 31 years of experience spanning five states - Maryland, North Carolina, Virginia, Arizona and Pennsylvania. Throughout his career, Thiel has served as deputy secretary of public safety and homeland security for Virginia and fire chief for Alexandria, Virginia. He has also helped plan response and recovery initiatives for executive and national disasters, including 9/11, extreme weather events and the pandemic.
"I'm here today with a promise, to work every day with you," Thiel said Tuesday. "Your administration and the thousands of men and women who serve our city to deliver a safer, cleaner and greener city with economic opportunity for all."
How was Thiel chosen?
Parker said she had help in choosing Thiel as managing director from a few people who know the job best.
Parker's transition team brought in three former managing directors, including Phil Goldsmith, to handle the first round of interviews. Goldsmith served as managing director from 2003 to 2005.
"[Thiel] walked in and he knocked my socks off," Goldsmith said. "Because he knows how to manage, and he certainly knows how to put out fires."
Who is the current managing director?
Mayor Jim Kenney appointed Tumar Alexander as Philadelphia's managing director in Sept. 2020. Alexander took over the office after Brian Abernathy resigned - Alexander was serving under Abernathy as the first deputy managing director.
Alexander began his service to Philadelphia under the Street administration and also worked through the Nutter and Kenney administrations. It's unclear if Alexander will continue in some capacity in the Parker administration, or if he's moving on.
What does the managing director do?
The managing director is essentially the city's chief operating officer. According to the city government's website, the managing director oversees agencies in five clusters:
- Community services: Includes Philly 311, Mural Arts Philadelphia, ACCT and Office of Immigrant Affairs, among others
- Criminal justice and public safety: Includes offices of violence prevention, criminal justice and reentry partnerships, among others
- General services, arts and events: Includes departments of public property and fleet services, rebuilding Community Infrastructure, among others
- Health and human services: Departments of public health and behavioral health and Intellectual disabilities, Office of Homeless Services, among others
- Transportation, infrastructure and sustainability: Department of Streets, Philadelphia Water Department, Office of Sustainability
The managing director also provides strategic oversight for the city's police and fire departments, departments of prisons and licenses and inspections and offices of emergency management, opioid response unit, and integrated data for evidence and action.
"I have a pretty good sense of how the city works," Thiel said, "how city government works and I think how it can work."
Who will be the next Philadelphia fire commissioner?
Parker on Thursday named first deputy commissioner Craig Murphy as the city's acting fire commissioner.