b"In 1982 I became the first female to be appointed acting superintendent. I worked for three months at Ocean Hill-Saratoga Square. Then I passed the superintendent exam and became the first female superintendent [civil service]. The Sons of Italy, Lodge 2277, honored me as Woman of the Year at their dinner dance. I have a picture of Mario Cuomogiving me a proclamation there, when he was lieutenant governor. They honored me again in 1990, for being the first female superintendent. I was an original member of Non-Traditional Women of Today [founded in 1984], an organizationof Housing Authority women in nontraditional jobs. We had women in different jobscaretakers, one was a foreman. We met once a month for lunch and supported each other. Doris Welch, was there, and Pat Rutledge, and others. They gave me a plaque.Throughout my career, whenever I heard of an exam coming up, I would prepare. When I was growing up it neveroccurred to me that I would have these kinds of jobs. I was never a tomboy. When I went after those jobs, I was thinkingabout taking care of my family, about my salary and pension.Its never easy for a woman breaking into a mans world. They resent it; they think youre taking the mans job.But I earned that job, I paid my dues.\x02Anthony CottoneNYCHA, Maintenance Worker, SuperintendentMember since 1973The following is an edited version of Anthony Cottones oral history interview fromMay 2016.I started as an operation maintenance trainee, special program. The Operation Trainee Program gave us a choice togo to the Sewage Department, New York City Housing Authority or the Traffic Department. I chose the Housing Authority.So it was, from '70 '73, I joined the Housing Authority, and so soon after that I joined the union.How old were you at that time?Oh, I must have been 28, 29, I would say.Did you have another job prior to working for the City of New York?Oh, yes. I had gone to school for refrigeration and air conditioning and then that was a tough choice to go City service or go with a union, Local 3 [IBEWInternational Brotherhood of Electrical Workers] or, S.J. OBrian [FrigidaireSales Service] in Manhattan, a very prestigious firm. But I had to make a choice and good thing that I made the choice togo with Local 237 and the Housing Authority, because a few years later, they actually went bankrupt so it was a goodstep. 80 "