Metrolink, the commuter rail service that is struggling to recover from a 2008 crash that left 25 dead and 135 injured, appointed a new chief executive on Friday.
John E. Fenton will take over on April 16, 2010.
"Metrolink is pleased to announce that John Fenton has agreed to serve as the chief executive officer and continue to build on the success the agency has had delivering quality commuter rail service at a time of great economic uncertainty," said Metrolink Chairman Keith Millhouse in a statement.
According to Metrolink, Fenton previously served as operating partner of CIH Capital Partners, an investment bank, and chief executive of OmniTRAX, Inc., a transportation services company.
He replaces David Solow, who has been
under intense pressure since the Chatsworth crash, which investigators
have tentatively blamed on a Metrolink engineer who they say ran a red
light seconds after he was text-messaging on his cellphone.
–Shelby Grad