Strapped Honolulu Rail Picks New CEO
Honolulu’s Authority for Rapid Transportation named Andrew Robbins executive director and CEO, as of Sept. 5, to manage its estimated $10-billion transit project as the agency faces up to a $3-billion funding gap to build and operate the system.
Formerly, he was a senior business development director for Bombardier Transportation in San Francisco, says his LinkedIn résumé.
Bombardier in 2011 was one of three finalists for the project contract, said to be the state’s largest. After losing to winner Ansaldo, now a unit of Hitachi, Bombardier launched an unsuccessful legal fight to overturn the award, says the Honolulu Star Advertiser, noting that one authority board member voted against Robbins, citing conflict of interest.
The city has sought federal funds for the project but legislators did not agree on a plan to hike city taxes before adjourning in May, setting a special legislative session, beginning on Aug. 28, to address the transit funding issues.
Patel
Contractor OHL North America, College Point, N.Y., has elevated Chief Operating Officer Ashok Patel to CEO, succeeding Thomas Iovino, who will continue to manage five other construction companies, the firm says.
Patel also is president and CEO of OHL’s Judlau Contracting unit, which was founded by Iovino and acquired last year by Spanish contractor OHL Group.
OHL USA Inc. ranks at No. 42 on ENR’s Top 400 Contractors list, with $1.56 billion in 2016 revenue reported.
Paul Cocotis becomes president of AECOM’s civil construction group, following completion of its $175-million acquisition of California-based Shimmick Construction, of which he was CEO. Paul Camaur, previously Shimmick president, is the group’s COO.
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