Kenney looking outside Philly to fill key positions

The soon-to-be Kenney administration is looking out of town for some new key city leaders. 

Philadelphia Mayor-elect Jim Kenney is conducting a nationwide search for candidates for three top jobs in the Department of Human Services, the Fire Department and the Philadelphia Prison System, said spokeswoman Lauren Hitt.

“For the past couple of weeks, we have been conducting a national search to find the appropriate candidates,” said Hitt. “We have found really great Philadelphians to fill a lot of Jim’s other top administrative posts. and we think it’s also really important to look outside the city.”

Hitt stressed that it’s only a search.

“Doesn’t necessarily mean it will end up being a national candidate, but we wanted to announce to folks that we take this seriously and what we are doing, and these are specifically the positions we are looking for,” she said.

In the meantime, Fire Commissioner Derrick Sawyer will continue until a new commissioner is named; Michael Resnick will take over at the prison system; and Jessica Shapiro will serve as acting commissioner of the Department of Human Services.