IndyGo is proud to announce that after a competitive search, Mark Emmons has been selected as the new director of Safety, Training, and Security at IndyGo. As the director, Emmons' responsibilities include the coordination and management of the organization's safety initiatives, emergency protocols and preparedness. This position also oversees the vehicle accident program, the drug and alcohol program, FTA and OSHA safety compliance, security operations and contractor auditing. In addition, Emmons oversees the professional coach operator training academy. Emmons has been with IndyGo for more than 14 years in numerous roles within the organization. He began his career as a transportation supervisor and has worked in a variety of positions, most recently as the risk & security manager in the Operations Division.
Proterra is pleased to announce John Sleconich recently joined the organization as its new vice president of Engineering. Sleconich joins Proterra with more than 25 years' experience in aerospace. Most recently, he served as director of Systems Engineering for Cessna Aircraft Company in Wichita, Kansas. In his new role at Proterra, Sleconich will take responsibility for new product development, compliance, technical publications, quality and product safety. He will also oversee engineering product support for all vehicles in production and in service. Proterra is also pleased to announce the appointment of Ian Shackleton as its new vice president of sales and marketing. Shackleton joins Proterra with more than 20 years of experience in the bus and trucking industry. Prior to joining Proterra, Shackleton spent 22 years at Navistar. He earned his degree in Motive Power Diesel Technology from Fanshawe College in London, Ontario, and began his career in Canada, where he worked until transferring to the U.S. in 1998. As vice president of Marketing and Sales, Shackleton will lead Proterra's sales and marketing teams to aggressively increase sales and grow market share throughout the United States and Canada.
Wendy Wallach has joined David Evans and Associates Inc. (DEA) as a senior associate and the Mountain West regional transit and environmental leader. She is based in DEA's Denver office. Wallach comes to DEA from the Colorado Department of Transportation where she was rail program manager for the transit and rail division. She has more than 18 years of experience in the planning and management of national policy environmental documents for roadway, transit and multi-modal projects. Her experience includes development of conceptual alternatives, NEPA documentation and management and program management. She has a bachelor's degree in geography from Clark University in Worcester, Mass., and a master's degree in urban planning from University of Colorado, Denver.
LeighFisher is pleased to announce the addition of Richard Batty to its management consulting staff. He has 25 years of experience in management consulting and the rail industry in North and South America, Europe and Asia. In addition to surface transportation services, Batty will support the aviation clients with advice on organizational effectiveness, enabling LeighFisher to provide clients cross-market experience and best practices across multiple sectors. He works with public and private sector clients in policy and strategy development, organizational effectiveness, financial appraisal and marketing. Previously, Batty led the U.K. rail team at Booz & Company, advising on the U.K.'s Rail Value for Money study.
Lamont Taylor, Human Resources manager for Frisch's Restaurants Inc., was named to the Southwest Ohio Regional Transit Authority's board of trustees. Taylor served as chairperson for the Cincinnati Metropolitan Housing Authority board of commissioners and he also served as the vice president of Finance for the National Human Resource Association and the board that oversees Hamilton County Developmental Disabilities Services. He was previously on the SORTA board from 2003 until 2010. He served as SORTA vice chair from 2004 until 2006 and chair from 2006 through 2007.
RNL announces that Ken Anderson, AIA, LEED AP, has been promoted to associate principal. Anderson is the studio lead for RNL's Washington, D.C., office. With more than 15 years of experience as an architect and project manager in the design industry, Anderson leads RNL's transportation work for the East Coast and Southwest regions. His experience involves a diverse number of project types, including mixed-use commercial, urban design, civic and religious architecture. Trent Cito, RLA, and Ryan Dawson, AIA, LEED AP, have been promoted to senior associate. Nathan Gulash, AIA, LEED AP, Paula McAtee, NCIDQ, LEED AP, Will Todd, Associate AIA, LEED GA, Dominic Weilminster, Associate AIA, LEED AP BD+C, and Lisa Glass, LEED AP, were named associates. Cito has more than 15 years of experience in the AEC industry. He brings extensive knowledge of the latest CAD modeling and visualization software to his position as 3D/visualization manager at RNL. Dawson is a designer known for his ability to combine a full spectrum of computer design, illustration and presentation skills with creativity and attention to detail. In 2011, Dawson was awarded three AIA design awards in the un-built category for the RTD Commuter Rail Maintenance Facility (CRMF) — the first project for which he served as lead designer. RNL is also pleased to announce the addition of Fred Gilliam, a 48-year transportation-industry veteran, to its transportation market group. Gilliam retired as president/CEO of Capital Metropolitan Transportation Authority in Austin, Texas, in 2009. Prior to his position with Capital Metro, Gilliam was the executive vice president for Chance Coach, a bus and trolley manufacturer in Wichita, Kansas, and served as executive vice president/COO for Metropolitan Transit Authority of Harris County (METRO) in Houston, Texas.
John J. Lech and John F. Samean have been named senior associates at Gannett Fleming. Both are employees of Gannett Fleming Transit & Rail Systems, a division of Gannett Fleming specializing in transit and railroad track, signal, communication and electric traction design. Lech serves as a manager of intercity and commuter railroad signal design. Based in the Philadelphia, Pa., office, he is responsible for railroad and transit signal design for interlockings, track circuits with cab signaling, highway grade crossings, train simulation packages and testing application logic programs. In this role, he constructs, estimates and installs complex signal systems. Based in the Valley Forge office, Samean works as a manager of signal design. In this role, he manages the signal design and rail operations planning sections. He is responsible for project management, technical reviews, quality assurance and quality control reviews, studies, detail design, cost estimates, and specifications. Barry W. Lemke has joined Gannett Fleming Transit & Rail Systems (GFT&RS) as a senior signal designer. Based in the firm's San Francisco, Calif., office, Lemke is responsible for performing and leading train control and highway at rail-grade-crossing design and coordination throughout the western United States. With 31 years of experience, Lemke has significant experience with providing detailed designs and quality reviews of train control plans, specifications, and modifications to grade crossing systems, construction management services for cutover and re-signaling, and design for transit systems.
Dick Ruddell, president and executive director of The T (the Fort Worth Transportation Authority), was elected president of the South West Transit Association (SWTA) during its annual meeting in Denver in February. SWTA is the largest regional transit association in America, representing transit agencies, state transit associations, and transit businesses in Arizona, Arkansas, Colorado, Kansas, Louisiana, New Mexico, Oklahoma, and Texas. Ruddell is also on the board of the American Public Transportation Association and serves as vice president for Metro agencies on the Texas Transit Association board.
Barbara W. Reese, former Deputy Secretary of Transportation for Virginia and CFO of the Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT), has been named a principal consultant in the strategic consulting group of Parsons Brinckerhoff. In her new position, Reese will advise clients on project development, financial planning and the execution of complex transactions, including public-private partnerships. She will guide public agency clients in obtaining transportation-related funding and assist agencies with complex financial organizational, process, and procurement issues. She will be based in Parsons Brinckerhoff's Richmond, Va., office. Reese's career, which spans more than 25 years, includes her most recent role as director of Finance for the city of Richmond, Va.
Omnitrans is pleased to welcome Ray Lopez, a professional with more than 21 years of transit experience, to its director of Safety and Regulatory Compliance position. Lopez will oversee the security, safety and loss prevention operations of the agency. Prior to joining Omnitrans, Lopez served as Safety Manager for VIA Transit in San Antonio, Texas. He started his career there as a coach operator and focused his education and training towards the emergency management and safety arena.
Mark F. Robbins, P.E., has been promoted to vice president at STV. He will continue in his role as the manager of the construction services group for the Southeast region of STV's Transportation & Infrastructure Division. Robbins has more than 20 years of experience providing and managing bridge and roadway design throughout the Southeast, with particular expertise in design-build projects for a number of highway assignments. He joined Ralph Whitehead Associates in 1998 and STV acquired Ralph Whitehead Associates in 2006. Robbins earned his Bachelor of Science in civil engineering from North Carolina State University.
