Regional Plan Association, the tri-state metropolitan New York urban research and advocacy organization, announced four appointments to its senior team, including former Metro-North Railroad president Howard Permut as a senior fellow.
Permut, part of the original team that formed Metro-North in 1983, retired from its parent Metropolitan Transportation Authority in January. At RPA, he will consult on national and international transit initiatives, in addition to the fourth regional plan.
Rob Freudenberg, formerly RPA's New Jersey director, will become director of energy and environment; Courtenay Mercer will succeed Freudenberg in New Jersey; and Jane Simoni Cooke was named director of the fourth regional plan campaign.
"We are thrilled to have these exceptional professionals at RPA," said the group's executive director, Tom Wright.
