Metro News Release
For immediate release: May 4, 2011
Two new members from Maryland join Metro Board
Federal government appoints Giancola
Two new members from Maryland, Michael D. Barnes and Alvin Nichols joined the Metro Board of Directors and Board member Anthony Giancola has become an alternate director representing the federal government as of April 28.
Barnes represents Montgomery County and succeeds Peter Benjamin, as a principal director on the Metro Board. Nichols succeeds principal director Elizabeth Hewlett and represents Prince George’s County. Giancola had represented the District of Columbia as an alternate director since February 2007.
Barnes, a former Congressman representing Maryland’s 8th Congressional District, is currently a senior fellow at the Center for International Policy. From 1978 through 1987, he served in Congress where he chaired the Metropolitan Affairs Subcommittee of the House District of Columbia Committee, which oversaw issues involving Metro. Prior to his tenure in Congress, Barnes was vice chairman of the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Commission and served on the Maryland Public Service Commission. Since leaving Congress, Barnes has served on the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority Board, and as lead director and chair of the Governance Committee of WGL Holdings, Inc. and its subsidiary, Washington Gas Light Company.
Nichols is the founder and principal of NICHOLS Creative Development, a real estate development and community development advisory services firm. Prior to launching his company, he served 14 years in multiple management capacities at Fannie Mae, including chief of staff for the Community Investments Group, director of corporate real estate and director of the Washington Partnership Office/Partnership Initiatives, where as a “loaned executive” to Howard University he led the corporation’s LeDroit Park Revitalization Partnership with the university. Before joining Fannie Mae, Nichols’ career included deputy chief administrative officer for business development for Prince George’s County, which included oversight of Public Works and Transportation, vice president for management operations for real estate development firm Horning Brothers, and city manager for the City of Takoma Park. Before joining the Metro Board, Nichols served on the Maryland Port Commission and the Maryland Transportation Authority, and also currently serves on the Board of Volunteers of America Chesapeake.
Giancola has extensive experience in transportation, engineering, contracting and finance, and is the executive director of the National Association of County Engineers. He is a retired military veteran who served in the Civil Engineer Corps of the U.S. Navy for 20 years. Giancola has worked primarily for or represented local government public works organizations since his retirement from military active duty in 1987. He has served as public works director for the City of Takoma Park, Md., and as chief engineer of the Public Works Department in Frederick County, Md. Giancola is involved in several professional organizations including the Roadway Safety Foundation, National Center for Pavement Preservation, American Association of State and Highway Transportation Officials Standing Committee on Highway Traffic Safety and Technology Implementation Group, and is a member of the American Public Works Association, National Society of Professional Engineers and American Society of Civil Engineers. He is a licensed professional engineer in the District of Columbia and Maryland.
The Metro Board of Directors is comprised of 16 members representing the District of Columbia, Maryland, Virginia and the federal government. There currently are three vacancies on the Board.
News release issued at 12:53 pm, May 4, 2011.