(L to R) County Executive Tom Suozzi, Jack O'Connell, and Jack Gallagher, the new Deputy County Executive.

Nassau County Executive Tom Suozzi today named Jack Gallagher as his Deputy County Executive for Health and Human Services. Gallagher will fill a post the County Executive has created to try to organize the County's health and human service systems more efficiently. "Our objective is to save costs, increase revenues from existing state and federal programs, and to serve our clients more effectively. Jack Gallagher is a consummate professional with an incredible background to help us manage our County Health and Human Service departments better," stated County Executive Suozzi. County Legislators Patrick Williams and Roger Corbin and members of the Health and Welfare Council were also in attendance to support Mr. Gallagher's appointment.

Jack Gallagher is the former Chief Executive for the North Shore-Long Island Jewish Health System. He started there in 1963, when he was appointed Administrator of the hospital. He was named the President and CEO of North Shore Hospital in 1992. When North Shore merged with Long Island Jewish Medical Center, he became the CEO of the North Shore-Long Island Jewish Health System until he resigned from that post on January 1, 2002. North Shore-LIJ is one of the largest health care systems in the nation, with 18 hospitals employing more than 30,000 people.

Health and Human Services comprises nearly 40% of the County budget. The departments under Deputy County Executive Gallagher include Social Services, Drug and Alcohol, Mental Health, Health, Seniors, Youth Board, Veterans' Affairs, and the Office of the Physically Challenged.