Jim Cavanaugh named new president and CEO of Yonkers IDA

yonkers deputy mayor james cavanaugh — James Cavanaugh

Jim Cavanaugh, who has served as a deputy mayor for the city of Yonkers for over three years, will now take over the position of president and CEO of the Yonkers Industrial Development Agency.

“Jim has served our residents and city well over the last three years as deputy mayor, spearheading many of our most transformative initiatives,” Yonkers Mayor Mike Spano said in a statement. “His transition to the Yonkers IDA will be seamless and I look forward to work with him in his new part-time role, and together, continue to move Yonkers forward.”

Replacing Cavanaugh as deputy mayor will be Anthony Landi, coming from the Yonkers Parks, Recreation & Conservation Department, where he served as commissioner. Steve Levy, the city’s other deputy mayor, will remain in his position.

Steve Sansone will replace Landi in the Parks Department and Recreation Supervisor Lisa McKay-Harris will be the deputy commissioner.

Before his role as deputy mayor, Cavanaugh was an associate at Empire Strategic Planning, a government relations and lobbying firm founded by Nick Spano, the mayor’s brother.

Cavanaugh was also a Yonkers Board of Education trustee, formerly led the Battery Park City Authority in Manhattan and previously was chairman of the Westchester County Republican Committee, along with having served on the Yonkers Parking Authority Board of Directors.