People News: NCTD, NS, STV, USRL
Written by Marybeth Luczak, Executive Editor
Pictured, left to right: Alex Denis, North County Transit District (NCTD Photograph); Nabanita Nag, Norfolk Southern (NS Photograph), Angel Martinez, STV (STV Photograph); Thomas J. McGuinness, STV (STV Photograph); and Andy Klinck, U.S. Rail & Logistics (USRL Photograph).
California’s North County Transit District (NCTD) appoints Alex Denis as Chief Procurement Officer. Also, Norfolk Southern’s (NS) Nabanita Nag earns a corporate counsel award; professional services firm STV recruits Angel Martinez and Thomas J. McGuinness to oversee transportation infrastructure projects in the Northeast; and U.S. Rail & Logistics (USRL) taps Andy Klinck as Senior Vice President of Operations.
NCTD
As Chief Procurement Officer, Alex Denis will be responsible for procurement and contract management across all NCTD departments. His position will also help to “streamline and create new policies,” ensuring the agency’s regulatory compliance at the state and federal levels, according to NCTD, whose transit services include COASTER commuter rail, SPRINTER hybrid rail, BREEZE bus, FLEX on demand, and LIFT paratransit.
Denis served most recently as Chief Procurement Officer for the City of Miami Beach, Fla., where he led all procurement-related contracting, contract compliance and supplier initiatives. A 25-plus-year public procurement-management veteran, he has held senior-level leadership roles for more than 15 years. According to NCTD, Denis is a “skilled organizational development practitioner” and has led several streamlining and organizational improvement projects in procurement and other areas, including the development of policies to address internal controls; establishment of performance metrics; and creation of an electronic marketplace to reduce inventory and off-contract spend for maintenance, repair, and operational (MRO) needs.
Denis also served as Vice President for Operations at Broward College in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., leading the divisions of Business Services and Resource Management; Auxiliary Services; and Safety, Security and Emergency Management for all campuses and centers. Additionally, he was Purchasing Manager at the Broward County (Fla.) School Board.
Denis earned a doctorate in organizational leadership and a master’s degree from Nova Southeastern University, as well as a bachelor’s degree from Florida International University.
“Alex brings an impressive background in procurement and contract management, as well as employee development and performance metrics which will be immensely beneficial to The District,” said Shawn Donaghy, who became CEO of NCTD on March 1. “He will be a welcome addition to a great team in our procurement group, and I am looking forward to the amazing leadership he will bring to the agency.”
“I am excited to join the NCTD team,” Alex Denis said. “I look forward to working with the entire team to serve our ridership through a customer focus, maximizing resources, innovative practices, and the highest ethical standards.”
In related news, NCTD appointed Tom Tulley as Chief Operations Officer of Rail, Mary Dover as Chief of Staff, Suheil Rodriguez as Director of Administration, and Chris G. Carrillo as Security Director.
NS
The Atlanta Business Chronicle has selected NS Executive Vice President Corporate Affairs and Chief Legal Officer Nabanita Nag as a 2024 Corporate Counsel Award honoree. The awards recognize top attorneys in Georgia who practice in the legal departments of corporations, associations and other private-sector organizations. The Chronicle included profiles of the honorees in a special section of its May issue and celebrated their achievements at a May 2 awards ceremony.
“Nag was selected based on her outstanding work as a general counsel leading a large legal department as it helped Norfolk Southern navigate a complex corporate crisis and emerge a stronger company,” NS reported May 15.
According to the Class I railroad, Nag:
- Provides broad leadership. Nag oversees the Audit and Compliance, Government Relations, Corporate Communications, Corporate Giving, and Legal departments, and leads shareholder and stakeholder engagement efforts for the railroad. “Nag skillfully aligns these departments to safeguard the company’s reputation and ensure consistent messaging across internal and external channels,” NS said. “In 2023, she played an essential role in guiding our response to a train derailment in East Palestine, Ohio.” Nag also engages with political and regulatory leaders in Washington, D.C., to advance NS business objectives and build relationships with rail industry stakeholders. She serves as an ambassador for the company to the City of Atlanta, where NS is headquartered.
- Fosters diversity. “Nag is committed to developing diversity in the law profession both at Norfolk Southern and in the Atlanta community,” the railroad said. In 2023, she signed a pledge with the Leadership Council on Legal Diversity detailing her personal and organizational commitments to lead and advocate for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) in the legal profession. She also developed a new DEI committee to guide the legal department’s efforts in advancing DEI initiatives. Additionally, she assisted two high-profile Atlanta-based law firms in establishing a fellowship program that includes an opportunity for three diverse law fellows to work in-house at NS for two weeks, according to the railroad.
- Advances safety. Nag’s strategic leadership extends to regulatory and safety initiatives, NS said. She played a role in the development and implementation of the railroad’s six-point safety plan and the decision to hire Atkins Nuclear Secured “to audit and drive operational excellence across the company’s safety-first culture,” according to NS.
“It’s an honor to be recognized by the Atlanta Business Chronicle as a 2024 Corporate Counsel Award honoree, an accolade that reflects the dedication and collaboration of my entire team,” Nag said. “This recognition underscores Norfolk Southern’s commitment to upholding the highest standards of legal excellence and corporate governance.”
In a related development, NS on May 15 announced that the voting results of its Annual Meeting of Shareholders have been certified by First Coast Results, Inc., an independent Inspector of Elections.
STV
Angel Martinez and Thomas J. McGuinness have joined STV as Vice President/Engineering Director and Engineering Chief, respectively.
With more than 35 years of industry experience, Martinez has held leadership roles guiding teams from various agencies including the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, New York State Development Corporation, Amtrak, MTA Long Island Rail Road (LIRR), New Jersey Transit, and New York City Transit. He previously led all Port Authority engineering operations, covering project management and program performance, finances, technology solutions, business strategies, consulting services and digital transformation. He holds a bachelor’s degree in architecture from the New Jersey Institute of Technology.
McGuinness previously served in leadership roles for several state and local transportation agencies where he was responsible for the delivery of design-build projects including the LIRR Third Track Expansion and the MTA Metro-North Railroad Penn Station Access. He has served as a volunteer firefighter for more than 35 years and holds a bachelor’s degree in civil engineering from Manhattan College in New York.
“Our clients and partners will benefit from Tom’s and Angel’s vast expertise managing the construction of complex transportation projects within congested and diverse urban environments,” said Peter Pappas, Vice President and New York Metro Area Manager at STV. “Their backgrounds in modern construction methods—including alternative delivery methods—position us to continue delivering for our clients.”
In other recent developments, STV has been tapped by Tri-County Metropolitan Transportation District of Oregon to spearhead the replacement of 12 traction power substations along the agency’s Metropolitan Area Express Blue Line, and has appointed Kristen Van Gilst as Chief of Staff, Judy Jones as Senior Vice President of Strategic Sales, and Eugene (Gene) Kim as Senior Vice President and California Area Manager, Transportation West.
USRL
Andy Klinck is the new Senior Vice President of Operations at Fort Worth, Tex.-based USRL, which is said to offer “comprehensive rail and logistics solutions” throughout North America.
Previously, Klinck spent 10 years at U.S. Silica, where he rose through the ranks to lead supply chain functions, including logistics; procurement; rail, truck and barge transportation; third-party warehousing; and project management.
Additionally, Klinck managed the due diligence process for a boutique private equity firm in Lexington, Ky., where he supported multiple automotive Tier 1 suppliers and worked with Tesla to support its launch of the Model S in 2014, according to USRL. He also held positions at Delphi Automotive from 2003-10.
“Andy is exactly the leader we need to expand our operational capabilities and continue our trajectory of growth,” USRL CEO Wes Adkins said. “His extensive experience and innovative approach to supply chain management will be invaluable as we strive to exceed the expectations of our customers and strengthen our market position.”
