Former Amtrak head Joseph H. Boardman dies following stroke

Joseph H. Boardman, former administrator of the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) and former president and CEO of Amtrak, has died. Reports are citing a stroke as the cause of death; he was 70 years old.

Amtrak Board Chair Tony Coscia and Amtrak President and CEO Richard Anderson issued a joint statement, “We are deeply saddened to learn of the passing of Joe Boardman.

“Joe, during his tenure as FRA Administrator, Amtrak Board Member and Amtrak president and CEO, was a tireless advocate for passenger rail and the nation’s mobility. During his eight years at the helm, Joe helped the company make significant progress in reducing our debt, improving our infrastructure and raising our cost recovery performance.

“He leaves a lasting legacy that includes public service and making passenger rail transportation better for millions of people.”

Rail Passengers Association President and CEO Jim Mathews said, “Joe Boardman believed in his bones that all Americans should have the ability to choose to travel by train. He was a passionate defender of the National Network and a passionate believer in Amtrak. He was also very gracious with his time and his insights, always willing to meet with us to hear about the concerns of passengers and always willing to meet with me to talk about rail policy. After retirement, he traveled all the way to Miami to be with us last Fall during our RailNation: Miami national convention in a classic example of the kind of leader he was. We will all miss him very much.”

“The American Public Transportation Association extends our condolences to the family and friends on the passing of Joe Boardman,” said Paul P. Skoutelas, president and CEO of the association. “He was an outstanding leader at the New York Department of Transportation, the Federal Railroad Administration and Amtrak, and his legacy of public service and improving rail transportation is a model for all of us.”​

Boardman was raised on a dairy farm in Oneida County, New York, and was the second of eight children. He joined the United States Air Force in 1966, which included a tour of Vietnam from 1968 to 1969. Following his military career, he earned a Bachelor of Science in Agriculture Economics from Cornell University in Ithaca, N.Y., and a Master of Science in Management Science from the State University of New York at Binghamton.

His early career includes city, county and state government roles including management of the Rome and Utica transit authorities in the early 1980s. Boardman also served as commissioner of public transportation in Broome County, N.Y., before establishing his own transportation management company.

He was named commissioner of the New York State Department of Transportation (NYSDOT) beginning in July of 1997 where he led a transformation effort that better enabled the agency to respond to the challenges associated with an expanding global marketplace. In this capacity, Boardman was deeply involved in the operation of the large complement of Amtrak service in the state. He left NYSDOT following his appointment by President George W. Bush as FRA Administrator. The U.S. Senate confirmed him in April 2005.

Amtrak first selected Boardman for a one-year stint as president and CEO in November 2008. He held the role until September 2016, the second-longest tenure of any Amtrak president. Boardman was named “Railroader of the Year” in 2014 by Railway Age magazine.

Boardman is survived by his wife, Joanne, and their three adult children, Joe Jr., Emily and Philip. Funeral arrangements are pending.