Dr. Tom Hecker, Ward 1 commissioner of Abington Township and vice president for administration and chief of staff at Penn Medicine, has been named a 2025 Pennsylvania Fifty Over 50 honoree, media organization City & State announced. 

From their announcement:

Tom Hecker was always drawn to healing – he holds undergraduate and doctoral degrees in psychology – but it was his pregnant wife’s experience of being diagnosed with multiple sclerosis at age 29, and treated at Penn Medicine, that set Hecker on his professional path in healthcare administration. 

That interaction “opened my eyes to the business of healthcare,” recalls Hecker, who, since 2021, has served as Penn Medicine’s vice president for administration and chief of staff. “The opportunity to work for an organization that provides healing and comfort was compelling.”

Hecker earned his doctorate in clinical psychology from Temple University, where he then worked as assistant dean for administration and planning. He moved on to leadership roles at the University of Pennsylvania’s Perelman School of Medicine, where he was chief of staff, and the Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical Center.  

Along the way, Hecker took on another kind of leadership, serving six years as an Abington Township commissioner.

All of those experiences inform Hecker’s current role at Penn Medicine, where he supports the CEO and other leaders across clinical and administrative operations. He also manages the health system’s communications and government relations. “I’m proud to work for an organization whose mission is to save lives and improve health,” he notes. “To support our providers and staff who do such incredible work is a true honor.”

For all the latest news, follow us on Facebook or sign up for Glenside Local’s “Daily Buzz” newsletter here.

Photo: Penn Medicine