Amtrak Board Chair Tony Coscia announced that Bill Flynn will be retiring after leading Amtrak since April 2020 and that Stephen J. Gardner will be appointed as the company’s new President and Chief Executive Officer, effective January 17, 2022.

Gardner currently serves as Amtrak’s President, leading the railroad’s day-to-day operations, customer growth initiatives and strategies to modernize Amtrak’s products, services, infrastructure and fleet.

Flynn, who led Amtrak through COVID-19 recovery efforts, prioritized safety and customer experience initiatives, advanced major infrastructure projects, expanded the company’s diversity and inclusion and executed major equipment procurements, all to position the company for the future. Flynn will continue as a senior advisor to Gardner and the company for the remainder of the fiscal year following his retirement to support the transition.

Gardner has been with Amtrak since 2009 serving in a variety of leadership roles including Chief Operating and Commercial Officer. He has been responsible for efforts to expand state-supported service partnerships, increase Acela capacity, improve Northeast Corridor infrastructure and develop Amtrak’s strategic plan.

Prior to Amtrak, Gardner worked as senior staff on the Commerce, Science and Transportation’s Subcommittee on Surface Transportation & Merchant Marine Infrastructure, Safety and Security. Previously he served as Legislative Assistant for Transportation for Senator Tom Carper and Congressman Bob Clement. Early in his transportation career, Gardner held various operating and managerial positions with Guilford Rail System’s Maine Central Railroad in Maine and Massachusetts, and the Buckingham Branch Railroad in Virginia.

Gardner, 45, received his BA from Hampshire College in Amherst, Mass., and resides in Philadelphia with his wife and two children.

-via Press Release