Christie, Cuomo appoint new leaders to PANYNJ

Written by Maggie Lancaster, assistant editor

Kevin O'Toole and Rick Cotton have joined leadership at the Port Authority of New York and Jersey (PANYNJ).

O’Toole will serve as chairman of the Board of Commissioners. O’Toole is the managing partner of O’Toole Scrivo Fernandez Weiner Van Lieu, LLC, and recently concluded a long career in the New Jersey Legislature. During his time in the legislature, Mr. O’Toole sponsored many pieces of legislation, including and the Transportation Trust Fund.

“I can think of no one better than Kevin O’Toole to assume the Port Authority chairmanship at this point, with New Jersey and New York moving forward with the most important project in generations to impact commuters and the economy in the Northeast Corridor, the Gateway Program,” said New Jersey Governor Chris Christie. “Kevin is the right person at the right time.”

Cotton will serve as executive director of PANYNJ. Since January 2015, Cotton has served as Governor Cuomo’s Special Counsel for Interagency Initiatives, overseeing most of the Governor’s major downstate infrastructure priorities including LaGuardia and JFK Airports, the Penn-Farley Complex, the new Tappan Zee Bridge and the expansion of the Javits Center. Cotton joined the administration following 25 years at NBC Universal, where he held a number of positions.

“With major infrastructure projects across the region underway, including the new JFK and LaGuardia Airports, the Port Authority has unprecedented momentum, and Rick Cotton has the experience and tenacity to continue moving these transformative projects ahead and lead the organization into the future,” said New York Governor Andrew M. Cuomo. “I thank Rick for his exceptional work in my office and look forward to continuing to work closely with him in this new position.”

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