On November 5 the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority announced that Bloustein alumnus Paul Wiedefeld MCRP ’81 was named Metro’s new General Manager and Chief Executive Officer (GM/CEO). He will be formally appointed at WMATA’s next Board of Directors meeting on November 19.
With more than 30 years of public and private sector transportation management experience, Mr. Wiedefeld previously as CEO of the Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport, where he managed the operations of an airport that served a (then) record 22.7 million passengers in CY 2012. During this time he oversaw the largest expansion in the Airport’s history including the design and construction of a 26-gate terminal for Southwest airlines; as well as providing air service, customer service, and increasing airport revenues. He is credited with leading BWI’s growth as the busiest passenger airport in the Washington metropolitan region.
Prior to leading BWI, Mr. Wiedefeld’s career included service as Administrator of the Maryland Transit Administration, where he managed day-to-day operations of the nation’s 13th largest transit system, including commuter rail (MARC), subway, light rail, buses, and paratransit services. He also spent a decade in the private sector with extensive experience in engineering project management for Parsons Brinckerhoff’s aviation practice. He holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Political Science from Towson University and a Master’s degree in City and Regional Planning from Rutgers University.
