Wabtec, Railroad Development Corporation (RDC) and HDR have made new appointments to their respective leadership teams.

Wabtec appoints vice president of business unit bus

Wabtec has appointed Rajas Joshi as vice president of business unit bus within its Wabtec Transit Power and Mobility Components business. He succeeds Bob Gallant and will lead the business’s continued growth and operational performance.

According to the company, Joshi brings more than 20 years of experience in global manufacturing operations, supply chain management and business leadership across North America, Europe and Asia. 

Joshi holds a Master of Science in Industrial Engineering from Lamar University and a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Pune.

RDC appoints executive vice president of business development

James Kornas has joined RDC as executive vice president of business development. Kornas brings more than two decades of leadership across business development, railroad operations and commercial strategy.

"RDC’s business model is based on partnerships," said RDC Chairman Henry Posner III. "As we continue building the RDC team, we were looking for someone who understands both railroading and partnerships.”

Kornas has previous experience in the industry with Norfolk Southern and Canadian National and as general manager of the Adrian & Blissfield Railroad.

He then joined EnviroSolutions, where he directed an integrated rail and trucking transportation network supporting one of the nation's largest landfill operations, gaining experience from the shipper's perspective.

Kornas subsequently spent nearly a decade with Patriot Rail Company as vice president of operations and later vice president of commercial development and Mergers and Acquisitions. Most recently, Kornas served as executive vice president of rail at Ozinga, where he led enterprise-wide rail strategy. 

"The company has earned a reputation for being a thoughtful, long-term partner that works alongside management teams and invests with patience and purpose," Kornas said.

HDR names program management lead for Canada

Jeff Stapleton, P.Eng. has been appointed HDR’s program management lead for Canada.

Stapleton will leverage expertise from across HDR’s program management and transportation practices to support clients in the successful delivery of major infrastructure programs across Canada.

“As a lifelong learner, I’ve accumulated a balance of experience over my career and continue growing by always seeking new challenges and project types,” Stapleton said. “I look forward to working with clients to navigate the complexities of planning and executing programs, including determining delivery models and helping them develop tailored strategies to address the risks and opportunities presented by their transportation projects.”

Stapleton has more than two decades of experience leading the planning, procurement and delivery of large-scale infrastructure programs, including major transit and highway initiatives delivered through progressive delivery models, public-private partnerships and conventional delivery approaches. He has held key leadership roles on some of Canada’s most significant transit and transportation initiatives, including multibillion-dollar programs for Metrolinx, for whom he has provided program management and owner’s engineer leadership. 

“Jeff’s depth of experience in program management and alternative delivery, combined with his strong client focus, will be instrumental in helping our clients navigate increasingly complex infrastructure programs,” said HDR Transportation Program Management Director Miloš Vasiljević. “His leadership and perspective will help clients and project teams anticipate challenges, make informed decisions and apply the proven approaches behind successful programs such as Ontario Line, driving consistent delivery excellence and meaningful outcomes for communities across Canada.”