USA: Stephen Gardner has been appointed President of Amtrak with effect from December 1, reporting to the national passenger operator’s CEO Bill Flynn.
The decision to split the President and CEO roles forms part of a broader set of reforms being implemented by the Amtrak board of directors to position the company for the 2021 financial year and beyond.
‘We have two urgent challenges in 2021’, explained Flynn. ‘We need to successfully manage our business through this global pandemic, and we need to take the right steps to ensure that Amtrak is strong and viable for the next 50 years and beyond. Establishing the President position reflects these significant responsibilities and creates a leadership structure to address the challenges ahead.’
Having joined Amtrak in 2009, Gardner was most recently Senior Executive Vice President and Chief Operating & Commercial Officer. He will retain these responsibilities as President, taking charge of Amtrak’s day-to-day operations and delivery of the annual operating plan, as well as the modernisation of products, services, infrastructure and fleet. He will oversee the Marketing, Operations, Planning & Asset Development and Government Affairs & Corporate Communications business units.
In his early career, Gardner worked for Guilford Rail System, now Pan Am Railways, and the Buckingham Branch Railroad in Virginia. He then worked on rail and transportation policy for the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science & Transportation before joining Amtrak as Vice President, Policy & Development.
Over the past decade, Gardner has held a number of roles focused on strategic development. He served as Vice-President, Northeast Corridor Development, before becoming Executive Vice-President. He has been responsible for Amtrak’s efforts to expand its state-supported service partnerships, as well as the procurement of new locomotives and rolling stock to replace its ageing fleet.
