People on the move: HNTB, STV, Transdev, WSP

Sept. 23, 2024
Personnel updates from around the public transit industry.

HNTB, STV, Transdev and WSP all named new additions to their team this past month.  

HNTB

HNTB has brought on Dennis Stefanski, P.E., as transit and rail engineering department manager. In this leadership role, Stefanski will work to oversee a multi-discipline group of professionals, bringing his extensive expertise in project management, intradisciplinary coordination and structural engineering design to support various transit and rail clients. 

“We are thrilled to welcome Dennis to our dynamic Philadelphia team,” said Jeremy Colello, P.E., HNTB’s Pennsylvania office leader and vice president. “His extensive background in managing multifaceted transit and rail projects will be instrumental in further elevating the quality and scope of our engineering services for our clients and the community.” 

With more than 19 years of experience, Stefanski has led various projects, including major capital construction; capital planning; state of good repair assessments; and rehabilitating railroad infrastructure, facilities and bridges. 


STV 

Mark Bienstock, P.E., has been named vice president and senior program manager within STV’s transportation northeast operating group. In this role, Bienstock will lead large rail and transit programs, oversee project budgets and help foster client relationships for the New York and New Jersey transportation teams. He will also work to promote collaboration and partnerships between STV and small, minority- and women-owned business enterprises (M/WBE). 

“I have worked closely with Mark for almost three decades and his breadth of knowledge, experience and creative thinking have made him a force in the industry,” said Rafael Ruffo, PE.,. vice president and engineering chief for the transportation northeast group, STV. “We are delighted that he has joined STV and will bring his talents to the transportation projects we design and oversee for our clients.” 

Bienstock’s career spans more than three decades in complex systems engineering and project management, focusing on public transportation and defense. His journey began with radar defense systems for U.S. Air Force flight test operations before spending 32 years at the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) in New York City. At New York City Transit, he managed $2 billion worth of complex technology systems projects and was responsible for ensuring large-scale initiatives such as signal system modernization and fiber optic data networks met rigorous technical standards and user expectations. As a leader on MTA’s construction and development team, he mentored new project CEOs and led $3 billion in projects involving customer safety, electronic security and power systems. 


Transdev 

Transdev U.S. has appointed Paul Roche as chief information officer (CIO). Roche will apply his experience in leading digital transformations and driving business results through business leadership and technology innovation. 

“Paul’s appointment marks an exciting new chapter for us as Transdev continues to leverage cutting-edge technology to improve mobility,” said Transdev U.S. CEO Laura Hendricks. “His extensive experience and operational leadership will be invaluable as we continue to innovate and enhance our services for our clients and passengers across the United States.” 

Roche comes to Transdev from Luxor Workspaces where he served as president, overseeing both business and technology strategy and execution. He led a comprehensive digital unification initiative at Luxor and successfully integrated two acquisitions, further strengthening the company’s market position. 

Roche’s previous experience includes 13 years at Network Services Company, an integrated distribution business focused on improving supply chain efficiency. He began as the director of business applications and quickly rose to the position of CIO, where he spearheaded digitalization efforts and the consolidation of legacy ERP systems into a single, consolidated platform, supporting the company’s growth from $600 million to over $1.2 billion in revenue. In his final three years with the company, Roche became COO, where he was responsible for IT and operational teams, and streamlining processes, integrations and communications across the organization. 


WSP 

Jeffrey Gonneville joined WSP as the agency’s senior vice president and transit and rail director of enterprise strategy. 

Gonneville supports strategic development projects for WSP and contributes his expertise to solve complex safety, capital, operational, administrative and labor challenges for a variety of clients. He is based in Boston. 

“Jeff provides experienced organizational leadership, building upon his achievements navigating a major transit authority through multiple periods of transition,” said Rex Brejnik, senior vice president and interim national transit and rail business line lead, WSP. “As historic infrastructure investment presents generational growth opportunities across the nation’s transit and rail industry, Jeff will continue showing our clients and teams the way forward.” 

Gonneville’s most recent role was deputy general manager and interim general manager for the Massachusetts Bay Transit Authority (MBTA). He served the MBTA for more than 20 years in critical leadership roles, including chief operating officer, chief mechanical officer and director of vehicle engineering. 

In these roles, Gonneville was responsible for working with senior leaders to develop policy solutions to complex problems and with front line staff to implement solutions on the ground. He received notable recognition for his accomplishments, including the 2023 ENO Center for Transportation Leadership Distinguished Alumni Award. 

Gonneville is an active member of the American Public Transportation Association, previously representing the MBTA as a board member and participant in the recent Bus Manufacturing Task Force. He has also contributed as a panel member for the Transportation Research Board’s Transit Cooperative Research Program. 

About the Author

Eman Abu-Khaled | Associate Editor

Eman Abu-Khaled is a recent graduate of Kent State University with a bachelors in journalism. She works through Endeavor Business Media with Mass Transit as an associate editor. Abu-Khaled brings a fresh perspective to the visual side of journalism with an interest in video and photography work.