The Chicago Transit Board appointed Dorval R. Carter, Jr. as the new President of the Chicago Transit Authority. Mr. Carter was chosen to lead the agency by City of Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel.
Carter, who has more than 30 years of experience in public transit at both the city and federal levels, joins the CTA from the U.S. Department of Transportation in Washington, D.C., where he most recently has served as Acting Chief of Staff to Secretary Anthony Foxx.
“I am pleased to welcome Dorval, who is a talented leader with extensive transit experience and who will continue the strong leadership that CTA needs as it continues Mayor Emanuel’s historic $5 billion of transit investment,” said Chicago Transit Board Chairman Terry Peterson. “He understands the critical importance a strong transit system has for our region’s economy and the need to continue to provide customers with affordable, safe and reliable transportation each and every day.”
“I appreciate the support expressed by the Chicago Transit Board,” said Carter. “The CTA is the backbone of the Chicago area and we need to continue to be innovative and find ways to improve the quality and efficiency of service.”
Carter becomes the first African-American president of the CTA since the agency’s inception in 1947. He served the CTA from 2000 to 2009 where he held a variety of posts culminating in Executive Vice President and Chief Administrative Officer. During his tenure, Carter was responsible for directing and coordinating the principal planning and operating functions of CTA’s $1 billion operating budget and five-year capital improvement program. He also served as Acting CTA President from January to April 2009.
Before joining CTA in 2000, Carter spent 10 years at the FTA, where he was Assistant Chief Counsel for Legislation and Regulation and managed the office responsible for planning, directing, and supporting the Administration’s legislative and regulatory programs. Prior to that, Carter was the Regional Counsel of the FTA Region 5 office in Chicago. He was responsible for all contractual, labor, environmental and litigation matters as well as legal policy guidance.
Carter began his career with the CTA in 1984 as a staff attorney, and later he held various positions including General Attorney and Deputy General Attorney for Corporate Law. He received his Juris Doctor degree from Howard University School of Law in Washington, D.C., and received his Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration and Economics from Carroll College in Waukesha, Wisconsin.
Carter replaces Forrest Claypool, who joined the agency in May 2011. His annual salary has been set by the Chicago Transit Board at $235,000.
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