Metro News Release
For immediate release: January 28, 2010
Mortimer Downey, Marcel Acosta Sworn in to Metro Board
Downey, Acosta represent Federal government on Metro Board
Mortimer L. Downey and Marcel C. Acosta were sworn in today as the Federal government’s first representatives to the Metro Board of Directors.
Downey and Acosta were appointed by the General Services Administration’s Acting Administrator Stephen R. Leeds. Downey will serve as director, and Acosta will serve as alternate director. Under federal law, the General Services Administration has the authority to appoint two directors and two alternate directors to the Metro Board.
Once the federal appointments are complete, the Metro Board of Directors will be composed of eight voting members and eight alternate directors who are non-voting members. The District of Columbia, the State of Maryland, the Commonwealth of Virginia and the Federal government each appoint two voting directors and two alternate directors.
Downey brings more than 50 years of experience in the operations and management of major public transportation authorities. He has been involved with the Metro system for over 40 years, helping to complete and fund the system as both a government official and an industry expert. Having previously served as the Deputy Secretary of the U.S. Department of Transportation and as the Executive Director of the New York City Metropolitan Transportation Authority, Downey has run and overseen efficient and accountable transit programs across the nation. As a resident of Northern Virginia, Downey has been a devoted rider of the Metro system for more than 20 years.
As an Executive Director for the National Capital Planning Commission (NCPC), Acosta has extensive knowledge of the Washington Metropolitan region. Prior to joining the NCPC, Acosta served as an executive of the Chicago Transit Authority, where he successfully oversaw initiatives to reduce operating costs of the bus and rail systems and to increase system ridership. Acosta is a District of Columbia resident who rides Metro to work daily.
Downey and Acosta are each appointed to a four-year term effective from Jan. 28, 2010 through Jan. 28, 2014.
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Media contact for this news release: Steven Taubenkibel or Angela Gates at 202-962-1051.
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News release issued at 2:20 pm, January 28, 2010.