NEW YORK — Justin Vonashek will become president of the Metro-North Railroad, succeeding Catherine Rinaldi, who will retire after almost seven years in the position.
The change will be effective April 1. Metropolitan Transportation Authority CEO Janno Lieber announced the succession plans on Thursday, Feb. 7.
Vonashek joined Metro-North as vice president of system safety in January 2016, was promoted to senior vice president of operations in December 2020 and to executive vice president and chief operating officer in September 2023.
“I am honored that Janno has placed his confidence in me to lead one of the busiest commuter railroads in the country,” Vonashek said in a press release. “I’m grateful to Cathy for her 20 years of service to the MTA and for her guidance over the years as we have worked together at Metro-North. I am excited for the challenges ahead and look forward to continuing to deliver the best service possible.”
Rinaldi, the first woman to service as president of Metro-North, was promoted to that position in February 2018. That tenure also included a period from February 2022 to October 2023 when she was also the interim president of the Long Island Rail Road, overseeing the expansion of LIRR service with the opening of the East Side Access/Grand Central Madison project.
“Justin Vonashek has been a key player at Metro-North for years, helping the agency deliver sky high on-time performance and record customer satisfaction,” Lieber said. “We are fortunate to have such a seasoned executive ready to lead and make this transition a smooth one/. Cathy Rinaldi leaves big shoes to fill. There aren’t many people talented enough to run two of the busiest commuter railroads in the country – let alone at the same time — but she is one of them. We are grateful for her many years of exemplary service and wish her all the best in retirement.”
Rinaldi has been with the MTA since 2003, serving as deputy executive director and general counsel at MTA headquarters; vice president and general counsel at the LIRR, and chief of staff and counsel to the MTA chairman before joining Metro-North in January 2015 as executive vice president.
