Leading with Heart: Deputy Chief Skeris Joins National Fire Leadership

By Kevin Campbell, Charlotte Fire  

Charlotte Fire Deputy Chief of Operations Pete Skeris is one of just 28 fire service leaders nationwide selected for the 2025 Fire Service Executive Development Institute (FSEDI)—a prestigious leadership program designed to prepare the next generation of fire chiefs. 

Created by the International Association of Fire Chiefs, FSEDI is a year-long program focused on equipping fire service executives with tools that go far beyond tactics. Participants dive into emotional intelligence, executive presence, ethical leadership, and crisis communication—all designed to prepare them for the top roles in their departments. 

For Skeris, the opportunity is both an honor and a chance to further strengthen his leadership approach. 

“This program is phenomenal,” he said. “You’re surrounded by people with a shared purpose—leaders committed to improving their organizations and their communities.” 

With nearly 300 applicants this year, competition was intense. Skeris stood out among a national pool of highly qualified officers and is now part of a cohort that includes current fire chiefs and top-ranking deputies from across the country. 

In his typical humble fashion, Skeris is taking the experience as an opportunity for both growth and reflection. During the first in-person session in Leesburg, Virginia, the group spent six intensive days exploring personal values, executive presence, and leadership mindset. As part of the program, participants were given a long-term assignment: to begin writing a book about themselves. For Skeris, that exercise quickly became a meaningful personal goal.

“I told the group I want to write the foreword to my book between now and when we meet again,” he shared. “If I had to give it a title, it would be Following the Broken Sidewalk of God’s Path. God paved the perfect sidewalk for me, and I’ve done enough in life to crack it here and there. The challenge is to stay on that sidewalk. That’s where the growth happens.”

Skeris joined Charlotte Fire in 1995 after a career in law enforcement and has since risen through the ranks—from Captain to Battalion Chief, to Chief of Rescue Operations, then Division Chief, and now Deputy Chief of Operations. In this current role, he oversees 43 firehouses and coordinates everything from hazardous materials and rescue services to airport firefighting operations at Charlotte Douglas International Airport. 

Charlotte Fire’s command staff includes Deputy Chief Bo Fitzgerald, Fire Chief Reginald Johnson, Deputy Chief Jerry Winkles, and Deputy Chief Pete Skeris. Together, they lead the department’s operations, training, strategy, and community service initiatives across the city.

Charlotte Fire Chief Reginald Johnson, himself a graduate of the same program, said Skeris is more than deserving of the honor. 

“Pete leads with humility and heart,” said Johnson. “He’s deeply committed to the people of Charlotte and to the members of this department. This program will only deepen the impact he already has.” 

That mindset shows up in how he leads Charlotte Fire. From his earliest days on the job, Skeris has believed that the work is always about service—and not just in emergency situations. 

“I tell our people all the time: if someone called 911, it became our problem the second that call came in,” he said. “Whether it’s a house fire, a burst pipe, a stuck smoke detector, or a ceiling fan about to fall—we didn’t create the emergency, but we show up because no one else can. And that’s what matters.” 

Skeris confers with members of Charlotte Fire at the scene of a fatal incident—demonstrating calm, compassionate leadership during some of the most difficult moments the community faces.

He applies the same thinking to his leadership. 

“I can write a 20-page plan to improve the department,” he said. “But if I’m not asking people, ‘What can I provide you to make you better?’ then what’s the point? This can’t be about me—it has to be about us.” 

With topics ranging from executive presence and diversity to labor relations and strategic planning, FSEDI is designed to challenge its participants to become well-rounded, future-focused leaders. For Skeris, the experience has already delivered powerful insights into how to better serve his department and the Charlotte community. 

“I just need you to go help people,” he often tells his teams. “In the simplest form, that’s what this job is about. And if we stay focused on that, we’ll be OK.” 

For Charlotte Fire, having leaders like Deputy Chief Pete Skeris means more than tactical readiness. It means compassion. It means accountability. It means strength shaped by humility. 

And as he continues his path forward—cracks and all—Skeris is committed to making the sidewalk better for those who come next.