Just as there are no two recipes that contain the exact same ingredients or measurements, there are no two success stories exactly the same. Recipe For Success features entrepreneurs, visionary leaders and innovators of all ages who will share their ingredients that make them successful – personally and professionally.

Let's get cooking! Rhoda Mae Kerr was sworn in as the City of Fort Lauderdale Fire Rescue Chief on July 2, 2018. With the appointment, Kerr became the City’s first female Fire Chief in the 106-year history of the department. Chief Kerr brings almost 40 years of experience to her position where she oversees a staff of almost 500 professional firefighters, ocean-rescue lifeguards, and administrative personnel and directs day-to-day operations for a department with multiple accreditations that responds to more than 46,000 calls annually.

Prior to joining the City of Fort Lauderdale, Kerr spent almost 10 years as Fire Chief of the City of Austin, Texas, managing one of the nation’s 20 largest fire departments, with nearly 1,200 sworn personnel, 113 civilian personnel, and 47 fire stations. From 2004-2009, she served as Fire Chief of Little Rock, Arkansas where she was instrumental in the implementation of a bond program to renovate the City’s fire stations, upgrade communication equipment, and complete a Fire Training Academy.

Chief Kerr was appointed as Interim Assistant City Manager during an important transition period for the City of Fort Lauderdale. As of January 2019, she oversaw Public Works, Sustainable Development, Transportation and Mobility, and Parks and Recreation departments until October 2019. Chief Kerr has been a pioneer and trailblazer in the fire profession for decades. 

Learn more about Fort Lauderdale Fire Rescue at https://www.fortlauderdale.gov/departments/fire-rescue.

For more information about Junior Achievement of South Florida, visit https://www.jasouthflorida.org.

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