MTA Metro-North Railroad has announced that Joseph J. Giulietti, executive director, South Florida Regional Transportation Authority/Tri-Rail in Pompano Beach, will become Metro-North’s president following the Jan. 31 retirement of Howard Permut.

Giulietti joined Tri-Rail in 1998 as deputy executive director and became executive director two years later. He was a Metro-North executive for 15 years, beginning with the creation of the railroad in 1983 as superintendent of transportation. He began his transportation career with Penn Central in 1971 while attending Southern Connecticut State University, and he then joined Conrail in 1978.

He is an at-large member of the APTA Executive Committee and serves on numerous APTA committees.

“Having worked at Metro-North when it began operations 31 years ago, I’m honored to have the opportunity to lead a railroad that is such a vital part of life for the people it serves,” Giulietti said. “Metro-North’s customers have learned to have high expectations of their railroad, and I want to ensure it always performs safely, efficiently, and effectively for the future.”

Permut has been a senior Metro-North executive since he helped found the railroad in 1983. He has served as its president for more than five years. He began his career with the New York Metropolitan Transportation Authority in 1979.