Kristin Jacobs

POMPANO BEACH, FL—The Broward County Board of County Commissioners has appointed Kristin Jacobs to the Governing Board for the South Florida Regional Transportation Authority. She succeeds Josephus Eggelletion.

Jacobs was elected to represent the people of District 2 on the county commission in 1998. During her tenure on the commission, she served as Broward County mayor in 2005 and as vice-mayor in 2004.

Tom Wagner, Steve Kratzer

SCHAUMBURG, IL—Motor Coach Industries (MCI) announced the promotion of Tom Wagner to director of business development and the appointment of Steve Kratzer to an open sales position in the southeastern U.S.

Wagner previously managed MCI’s Public Sector specialty markets including universities, inmate security transit, and U.S. and Canadian federal government business.  Kratzer has 13 years experience in transportation sales and marketing, most recently with North American Bus Industries.

Richard Simonetta

COLUMBUS, OH—Richard Simonetta has been named vice president and national director of high-speed rail for URS Corporation, based in Columbus.

Simonetta is a transit industry veteran with more than 38 years of experience in all facets of the industry. Most recently he was chief executive officer of Valley Metro Rail Inc. in Phoenix. He has spent 28 years as chief executive officer/general manager of five U.S. transit agencies including the Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority, where he oversaw transportation efforts during the 1996 Olympic Games.

A former APTA chair, Simonetta received the association’s Transit Manager of the Year honor in 1997. He currently serves on the APTA Board of Directors Past Chairs Committee; Legislative Committee; Rail Transit CEOs Subcommittee; and Rail Transit Committee.

Myrna Valdez

LOS ANGELES, CA—Myrna Valdez recently joined Gannett Fleming as director of national transit planning, based in the firm’s Los Angeles office.

Valdez has more than 35 years of experience. She will support the firm’s strategic action to grow its transit activities in the western U.S. and offer support on Federal Transit Administration guidance changes.

Mark Peoples


ATLANTA, GA—Mark Peoples has been named deputy director, finance, for the Georgia Regional Transportation Authority (GRTA). He will lead the authority’s finance and information technology efforts.

Peoples comes to GRTA from Accretive Solutions, where he served as a consultant and field associate. He succeeds Monique Simmons, who joined the Georgia State Accounting Office as director of accounting, client/shared services.

Nick Flew

LONDON, U.K.—Nick Flew has been appointed managing director of the U.K. and European operations of Parsons Brinckerhoff (PB).

Flew has 28 years of technical and management experience and was previously director of Balfour Beatty Management, the U.K.-based professional services business of Balfour Beatty, which recently acquired PB. He played a key role in the acquisition and, in his new position, will lead the integration of the operations of Balfour Beatty Management and the UK/Europe operation of PB.

Harry Strate

ATLANTA, GA—Harry E. Strate, P.E., has joined Stantec as the leader of its transportation practice in the southeastern U.S., based in Atlanta.

Strate comes to Stantec from Wilbur Smith Associates, where he most recently served as firm-wide director of transportation planning services and Southern Group leader.

Matt Wood, Rick Dunning

CINCINNATI, OH—First Transit has announced the promotions of Matt Wood to senior vice president of its eastern region and Rick Dunning to senior vice president of transit management.

Wood has more than 14 years of transportation experience, including 10 with First Transit and First Services. Dunning has worked in public transit management for more than 34 years, 28 of which were spent in a variety of positions within First Transit and First Services.

Kathleen Penney

DENVER, CO—CH2M HILL announced that Kathleen L. Penney is its new northeast geographic manager for its Transportation Business Group, based in Washington, DC.

Penney has 17 years of experience to her new role. Prior to joining the firm, she was chief engineer for the District of Columbia DOT, and earlier spent more than a decade with the Federal Highway Administration. 

« Previous Article

Return to Top | Return to Main