Hundreds of friends and elected officials were on hand in Valhalla Sunday as the Honorable Kenneth W. Jenkins was sworn in as Westchester's first African American county executive. Jenkins addressed the crowd of friends, family and political leaders at SUNY Westchester Community College. "I am so honored to be elected as your county executive. Thank you for raising your voice, casting your vote and standing firm," Jenkins said. "Westchester County is our home. We stand united in protecting it, we didn't allow partisan division to distract us. We came together to build a county that works for all." Gov. Kathy Hochul was also present to congratulate Jenkins. She also expressed her confidence in what she said is the beneficial leadership he will provide for Westchester County's nearly 1 million residents. "This era calls for strong leaders that people can believe in again, and that's what we have to deliver, with leaders like Ken Jenkins, and George Latimer, and everyone else," Hochul said. Senate Majority Leader Charles Schumer also sang Jenkins' praises, calling him "A great public servant and consensus builder." "He's now standing before us as history-making and a duly elected county executive. It's amazing. No one put a silver spoon in this guy's mouth. No one plucked him out of nowhere and put him in office. As we like to say in Brooklyn, Ken got here the old-fashioned way. He earned it," Schumer said.