Sal Ruggiero joined the City of Tampa in 1982, as a police officer with the Tampa Police Department. He served in many divisions in the Police Department throughout his career. In 2009, he was promoted by Police Chief Jane Castor to the rank of Major and commanded Police District 1 until he retired in 2011.
On February 25, 2013, Ruggiero was appointed by former Mayor Bob Buckhorn to become the manager of Neighborhood Empowerment. He served in this capacity until February 5, 2020, when he was promoted to Deputy Administrator by Mayor Castor to oversee Facilities Management, Fleet Maintenance, and Solid Waste.
Ruggiero holds a B.S. Degree in Administration of Justice from Roger Williams College, Bristol, R.I., and an M.A. in Organizational Management from the University of Phoenix, Tampa, FL. Ruggiero is also certified, as a Professional in Human Resources by the Society of Human Resource Management.