Amtrak has promoted Roger Harris to serve as president and Gerhard Williams to serve as executive vice president of service delivery and operations. Both appointments are effective July 5, 2022.
Amtrak CEO Stephen Gardner said the railroad “has entered an exciting new era of growth and development” with the promotions of Harris and Williams aimed at helping the railroad speed its progress “in recovering, growing and transforming the business.”
Harris has been promoted from his role as chief commercial officer in charge of marketing and revenue, which he has held since April 2019. He will report to Gardner and lead the coordination of the service delivery and operations, marketing, customer service, network planning, real estate and accessibility functions of the company. Harris and his team will be dedicated to improving the delivery of Amtrak’s services and the experience it provides its customers and partners, while ensuring the integration of critical functions that market, sell, plan, design and deliver its services to current and future customers.
Reporting to Harris will be Williams, Dennis Newman, executive vice president of strategy and planning and his current direct reports, while a new chief commercial officer is sought.
Williams is succeeding Scot Naparstek, who is retiring to Texas after 10 years of service to Amtrak. Williams brings more than three decades of experience to his role where he will be responsible for leading the strategic development of Amtrak’s operating capabilities, including the transportation, mechanical, infrastructure, and customer service functions, as well as overseeing the day-to-day delivery and improvement of services to Amtrak customers onboard its trains and in its stations.
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