Dallas Area Rapid Transit (DART), HDR, Bohr Electronics and the Railway Supply Institute (RSI) have made new appointments to their respective leadership teams.

DART Board names Nat Ford as next president and CEO 

Ford has served as the CEO of the Jacksonville Transportation Authority since 2012. Earlier this month, Ford informed the JTA Board of Directors that he will resign from his position, effective Jan. 8, 2027. With this appointment as DART president and CEO, that timeline will be moved up, as Ford will began with the Texas-based agency Oct. 26.

He also has experience working at the Metropolitan Transportation Authority, the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency and the Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority. 

"Mr. Ford brings decades of executive leadership in public transportation, a proven record of organizational transformation and a deep understanding that transit is about much more than buses and trains,” said DART Board Chair Randall Bryant. “Today, we are turning the page. The board has made its decision and now it’s time to get back to what matters most, serving the people of North Texas.”  

HDR names next transit strategic program growth director 

HDR has named Rob Klovsky, P.E., as transit strategic program growth director. Klovsky will work across key services, namely transit engineering, rail and transit systems and operations and maintenance facilities to help clients move projects from early planning through implementation. HDR notes the position focuses on advancing strategic growth, aligning multidisciplinary teams and supporting pursuit and delivery of major transit investments. 

HDR says Klovsky brings more than 30 years of experience in rail and transit infrastructure, including leadership of large-scale, multimodal programs for agencies such as Metrolink, Riverside County Transportation Commission and Union Pacific. He has helped deliver projects that improve capacity, enhance safety and strengthen regional mobility across some of the country’s most complex rail corridors.  

“Rob is the definition of a program builder,” said HDR Global Transit Director Matt Tucker. “He understands the importance of building and maintaining a trusted advisor relationship with clients. He brings deep technical experience and strong relationships across the industry, which position him to help our clients advance their programs and address evolving transportation needs.” 

Klovsky’s work has included commuter rail expansions, grade separations and corridor improvements that support both passenger and freight movement. He previously served as president of the Railway Association of Southern California and is a graduate of the American Public Transportation Association's (APTA) Leadership APTA program. 

“HDR has built a world-class transit team that regularly delivers clients’ ‘next big thing,’” Klovsky said. “I'm proud to have played a hand in some of those transformative programs, and I'm excited to help our clients see their visions to fruition by connecting them with HDR's tremendous talent.” 

Bohr Electronics names next president of sales 

Bohr Electronics has named Garrett Riley its vice president of sales. In his new role, Riley will lead the company's sales strategy and customer relationships, working closely with customers and Bohr's engineering, manufacturing and customer support teams to help railroads address operational and technology challenges. 

Riley brings more than 18 years of experience in sales, operations and business development, including leadership positions with ZTR, Beijer Electronics, National Railway Equipment (NRE), Westermo Data Communications and Wabtec. Most recently, he served as regional sales director for locomotives at ZTR. He holds an MBA in strategic management from Idaho State University and is fluent in English and Spanish. 

"Garrett understands our industry and the importance of building strong customer relationships," said Bohr Electronics CEO Dan Marks. "He brings the experience, leadership and customer focus that will help us continue serving our customers well as we grow. We're excited to welcome him to the Bohr team." 

Riley said he was drawn to Bohr's reputation for engineering excellence and customer support. 

"I'm excited to join a company that has earned the trust of the rail industry by delivering dependable products and standing behind them for nearly 70 years," Riley said. "I look forward to working with our customers and the entire Bohr team to help solve challenges and support their success."

RSI appoints next president 

RSI has appointed Thomas Jensen as president. In this role, he will lead RSI’s legislative, regulatory and advocacy efforts on behalf of the railway supply industry.

“RSI is pleased to welcome Tom Jensen to our leadership team,” said RSI Board of Directors and Progress Rail Executive Vice President of Freight Car Services Greg Dalpe. “Tom brings decades of experience navigating complex transportation policy issues and building strong relationships across government, industry and stakeholder communities. His extensive background in advocacy and public affairs makes him uniquely qualified to advance RSI’s policy priorities and strengthen our position as the voice of the railway supply industry.”

Jensen joins RSI with more than 30 years of government affairs, public policy and transportation advocacy experience spanning the public and private sectors. Throughout his career, he has successfully shaped legislative and regulatory outcomes, built influential coalitions and guided organizations through evolving policy environments. 

“Tom’s expertise in transportation policy and government affairs will be a tremendous asset to RSI and our members,” Dalpe said. “His proven ability to advocate effectively on behalf of industry stakeholders and navigate complex legislative and regulatory matters will help position RSI and its members for continued success."

Most recently, Jensen served as vice president of government relations for America250, where he led government relations activities supporting the U.S. Semi-quincentennial Commission and helped engage the bipartisan Congressional America250 Caucus. Prior to that, he established and led government affairs functions for building and construction materials manufacturing firm Amrize and served as vice president of government affairs for TuSimple. 

Jensen spent more than three decades with United Parcel Service (UPS), culminating in his role as senior vice president of government affairs. At UPS, he directed advocacy strategies on critical transportation and infrastructure issues and represented the company before Congress, the U.S. Department of Transportation and the White House. His portfolio included multimodal transportation policy, infrastructure investment, commercial vehicle regulation, supply chain policy, environmental sustainability and emerging transportation technologies. 

“I am honored to join RSI at such an important moment for our industry,” Jensen said. “Freight and passenger rail networks are essential to economic growth, supply chain resilience and global competitiveness. The companies that supply this industry provide critical innovations, products and services that keep rail moving every day. I look forward to ensuring RSI serves as a strong and effective advocate for our members, their employees and the future of rail transportation.”