Westchester County Executive Ken Jenkins has appointed Richard G. Wishnie as Deputy County Executive. Wishnie brings a storied legacy of public service, including his recent roles as Acting County Executive and Westchester County Commissioner of Emergency Services, as well as decades of leadership in Westchester County.
Jenkins said: “Richard exemplifies what it means to serve the public with integrity, vision, and dedication. I can think of no better person to fill this role, and it is my honor to appoint him and serve alongside him. His leadership and wealth of experience make him the ideal choice to continue driving our County forward.”
Wishnie said: “It is an honor to step into this role and continue serving the residents of Westchester County. I am committed to working alongside County Executive Jenkins and our dedicated team to ensure Westchester remains a beacon of excellence in government and community service.”
Wishnie was elected to the Westchester County Board of Legislators in 1993, where he served six distinguished terms representing the Town of Ossining, the Villages of Briarcliff Manor, Ossining, and Croton-on-Hudson, as well as portions of the Town of Cortlandt. As Vice Chairman of the Board and Chair of the Budget and Appropriations Committee, he championed fiscal responsibility while securing critical funding for public safety, community health, and educational initiatives.
Before his service at the County level, Wishnie served the Town of Ossining as Councilman from 1976 to 1979 and as Supervisor from 1979 to 1983. He has also served as Chairman of the Ossining Open Door Health Centers, Westchester Health Source, the Ossining Volunteer Ambulance Corps, and the Ossining Red Cross Disaster Team. Additionally, he was Vice-Chairman of the Mid Hudson Ambulance District.
Wishnie has held numerous leadership roles, including Officer and Director of the Ossining Chamber of Commerce, President of the Ossining Jaycees, Director of the United Way of Northern Westchester, and life member of the Briarcliff Manor Volunteer Fire Department. He has also served as a Town of Ossining Auxiliary Police Officer.
He is the former Director of Operations for the New York State Workers’ Compensation Board (1983–88) and was appointed by the Governor to a Temporary State Study Commission on Workers’ Compensation Special Funds.
Wishnie has been honored by numerous organizations for his service to the community. In January 2006, the Village of Ossining named a public park in his honor. The Richard G. Wishnie Park is located at the intersection of Pleasantville Road and Orchard Road.
He was appointed to the Board of Directors of the Westchester Medical Center in September 2014 and serves as Chair of the Bon Secours Charity Hospital Board of Directors. He is also a former member of the Health Alliance Hospital Board of Directors and currently serves on the Westchester County Association Board of Directors.
A graduate of the Harry Van Arsdale Jr. Center for Labor Studies at Empire State College, SUNY, Wishnie holds a Bachelor of Science in Labor Studies. Having lived in Ossining for many years, he now resides in Somers with his wife Marilyn, the former principal of the Hillside School in Hastings-on-Hudson. They have two married daughters and four grandchildren.
