Announcement: FMCS Commissioner Appointed New Agency Acting Director

WASHINGTON, D.C. -- FMCS Commissioner Richard Giacolone has been appointed by President Trump to serve as the Acting Director for the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service (FMCS), effective immediately.

Mr. Giacolone began his mediation career at FMCS in the Chesapeake, Virginia field office in 1995. He was the former Director of the FMCS International/ADR Department and Special Assistant to the Director of FMCS. Prior to receiving his commission with FMCS, Mr. Giacolone was Labor Relations Advisor for the Department of the Navy and has an extensive background in labor relations representing management.

During his 23-year FMCS career, Mr. Giacolone mediated thousands of domestic labor and employment cases, comprising many cases of national significance, ranging from labor disputes involving multiple symphonies and orchestras to bus and transportation disputes and scores of cases involving shipbuilding and repair industries with national impact. He has also mediated numerous significant collective bargaining agreements covering nationwide bargaining units in the Federal sector. His international experience at FMCS includes both mediation and the development and delivery of dispute resolution programs in some fourteen countries.

Among his professional honors, Mr. Giacolone was awarded the Meritorious Civilian Service Medal for his contributions to the Department of Navy Labor and Employee Relations program and the Society of Federal Labor and Employee Relations Professionals Lifetime Achievement Award. He was elected National President of the Society of Federal Labor-Management Relations Professionals.

Mr. Giacolone holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Industrial Psychology and a Master of Public Administration degree from Old Dominion University in Norfolk, VA. He has served on the faculty and regularly lectured at a number of universities on topics such as collective bargaining and arbitration.