CHICAGO - The Chicago City Council approved the appointment of Patrick Harney as Commissioner of the Department of Fleet Management in February. The mayor announced his appointment in late January.

Since 2007, Harney, 52, has served as first deputy chief of staff in the Mayor's Office, where he coordinated infrastructure and transportation issues and managed Chicago's efforts to invest more than $2.2 billion in federal American Recovery and Reinvestment Act funding, according to a release from the City.

"Pat has a breadth of experience in the management of facilities, infrastructure, and maintenance which is why he is a good fit for this position," Mayor Daley said.

Prior to working in the Mayor's Office, Harney served as an executive vice president at the Chicago Transit Authority (CTA), where he was responsible for managing the capital program, as well as all construction, engineering, and facilities maintenance.

From 2000 to 2006, Harney worked in the Chicago Department of Aviation (CDA), first as Deputy Commissioner where he was responsible for working on key projects and initiatives including the new $750 million Midway International Airport terminal. He later worked as first deputy commissioner, where he oversaw all operations, development, planning, finance and security for the Chicago Airport System, the release stated.