Contact: Reichel Everhart (916) 319-2017

Roelof van Ark, International Leader in High Speed Train Systems, Will Lead California's High Speed Rail Project

Sacramento - Assemblymember Cathleen Galgiani (D-Livingston), along with several California business and labor groups held a reception at the State Capitol on Tuesday evening to introduce the new Executive Director of the California High-Speed Rail Authority, Mr. Roelof van Ark. Mr. van Ark is filling the vacancy left by the retirement on March 30 of Medhi Morshed who served as the projects Executive Director since it’s inception in 1995.

“There is a large and growing coalition of groups and individuals that support High Speed Rail and many of them are here tonight, excited to meet the new CEO of the Authority” said Jo Linda Thompson, representative with the Association for California High-Speed Trains, “Together we can all work to move this project forward quickly to provide badly needed jobs for Californians as soon as possible.”

During his nearly 30-year career in the transport industry, van Ark has held top executive positions in Europe and North America, including President or Aviation Security, Invision Technologies (2003) and President & CEO, Siemens Transportation Systems Inc. (1999). He has personal experience in the development of High-Speed train systems in South Africa, France, China & Germany.

Hundreds of people from labor, business, and environmental organizations attended the reception to welcome van Ark and show their support for high-speed rail in California.

“Mr. van Ark’s experience & stature in the rail transport industry will give both the state legislature and the federal government greater confidence in California’s High Speed Rail project,” said Galgiani. “I look forward to hearing his plans for attracting private sector investment to the California project and how he thinks we can move swiftly to maximize job creation for Californians and deliver this dynamic transportation project.”