Henry (Hank) Gutman has been appointed by New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio to be the next commissioner of the Department of Transportation (NYCDOT). Gutman serves as chair of the Brooklyn Navy Yard and serves on the Board of Brooklyn Bridge Park. He was also a member of Mayor de Blasio’s BQE Expert Panel, which provided recommendations on the city’s Brooklyn-Queens Expressway improvement project.
“Hank Gutman is a visionary leader whose decades of civic life in this city have made New York City fairer, better and more accessible,” said Mayor Bill de Blasio. “We made permanent and progressive changes to city streets last year, and we have more to do this year. I can’t wait to work with him to expand transportation options to every New Yorker and build a recovery for all of us.”
Gutman is a retired attorney who litigated “a wide range of high-profile cases” and his resume contains several civic positions such as serving as a trustee of the Brooklyn Public Library, vice chair of the New York League of Conservation Voters and as a board member of the National Center for Law and Economic Justice.
Gutman said the city is facing an opportunity to build a better city and committed to building 10,000 new bike parking racks by the end of 2022.
“We have an opportunity to chart a new path for this city – one that leaves Robert Moses’ vision behind, beats back COVID-19, protects our environment and builds a fair, safe and equitable recovery for all of us,” said Commissioner Gutman. “Today’s commitment to build 10,000 bike parking spaces will give more New Yorkers than ever an appealing alternative to car culture, and it will transform biking in this city. I’m grateful to Mayor de Blasio for giving me the chance to serve the city I love. I can’t wait to get started.”
Gutman will succeed longtime NYCDOT Commissioner Polly Trottenberg, who stepped down from her role in November 2020 and was named as deputy secretary at the U.S. Department of Transportation in January 2021.
Acting Commissioner Margaret Forgione, who has led the department on an interim basis since December, will remain in the department and serve as Gutman’s first deputy commissioner. Jee Mee Kim, currently a principal at HR&A Advisors and a 20-year veteran of national transportation and urban development projects, will join NYCDOT as chief strategy officer.
Mischa Wanek-Libman | Group Editorial Director
Mischa Wanek-Libman is director of communications with Transdev North America. She has more than 20 years of experience working in the transportation industry covering construction projects, engineering challenges, transit and rail operations and best practices.
Wanek-Libman has held top editorial positions at freight rail and public transportation business-to-business publications including as editor-in-chief and editorial director of Mass Transit from 2018-2024. She has been recognized for editorial excellence through her individual work, as well as for collaborative content.
She is an active member of the American Public Transportation Association's Marketing and Communications Committee and served 14 years as a Board Observer on the National Railroad Construction and Maintenance Association (NRC) Board of Directors.
She is a graduate of Drake University in Des Moines, Iowa, where she earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Journalism and Mass Communication.
