The high speed rail event of the year! The world's leading experts discussed high speed rail around the world and how it revolutionized their country. You heard about the many ways high speed rail can improve America. A national high speed rail system creates efficient, safe mobility for all, ends our dependency on oil, and is the most significant solution to climate change.
As a conference attendee, you:
Heard from Members of Congress with a major focus on high speed rail
Learned about the Obama Administration's commitment to high speed rail
Learned about the Department of Transportation's plans for funding and schedules
Heard industry experts discuss the scaling up of American engineering, construction and manufacturing
Learned how a national high speed rail system solves serious climate, mobility, and energy problems
Listened to financial and investment experts discuss funding options
Heard leaders discuss publicly owned HSR 'universal infrastructure' for America
Listened to the business case for private high speed rail operators and the profit potential
Learned about the unique technologies of high speed rail from international HSR industry leaders
Networked with industry leaders, elected officials, high speed rail experts, and international investors
Jean-Pierre Loubinoux, Director General of the International Union of Railways (UIC) in Paris. Formerly CEO of SNCF International, Mr. Loubinoux is considered one of the world's leading experts in developing new high speed rail systems, and has been involved in numerous high speed rail start-up projects in a number of countries.
UIC is the worldwide organization for railway cooperation with 200 members around the world active in the fields of developing rail transport, and advancing high speed rail..
Governor Ed Rendell, Governor, State of Pennsylvania; Co-Chair, Building America's Future. Governor Rendell has been called the "hardest working man in infrastructure", and is a huge supporter of a national high speed rail system for America. Governor Rendell has been a tireless advocate of an infrastructure-driven recovery within the National Governors Association, and through his work within Building America's Future with his co-chars Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger and Mayor Michael Bloomberg. They have been advocating for a national infrastructure bank to help fund needed infrastructure across America.
Congresswoman Eddie Bernice Johnson, Texas. Congresswoman Johnson is a major supporter of high speed rail, and has been a member of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee since being sworn into office in January 1993
Congressman Jim Costa, California. Congressman Costa has been a long time supporter of rail transportation in America. During his distinguished 24-year career in the California state Legislature he was instrumental in the formation of the California High Speed Rail Authority. This state body has put forward the most advanced high speed rail project in America: a state-of-the-art, 220 mph state-wide electric rail system.
Congresswoman Corrine Brown, Florida. Congresswoman Brown is Chairwoman of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Subcommittee and has been a long time supporter of high speed rail for America. Congresswoman Brown recently chaired a High Speed Rail Rountable as well as a House hearing entitled "High Speed Rail in the United States: Opportunities and Challenges", on October 14, 2009.
Congressman Michael McMahon, New York. Congressman McMahon proudly represents Staten Island and Brooklyn in the U.S. House of Representatives and is a long-time proponent of expanding our nation's rail network. He began this work at th elocal level as a member of the New York City Council and continues today through his membership on the Railroads, Pipelines, and Hazardous Materials Subcommittee of the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee.
Congressman Ciro Rodriguez, Texas. Congressman Rodriguez is a strong advocate for high speed rail in America, and serves on the House Committee on Appropriations and the transportation subcommittee.
Congressman Paul Tonko, New York. Congressman Tonko is a professional engineer and nationally recognized expert on energy issues. A supporter of high speed rail in America, Congressman Tonko serves on the House Committee on Science and Technology, and subcommittees for Energy and Environment, and Technology and Innovation. He is an advocate for a 'green economy' and 'green-collar jobs', and has promoted wind power development in Upstate New York.
Rodney Slater, Esq., Former U.S. Secretary of Transportation; Partner - Patton Boggs, Washington, DC. Secretary Slater works with clients to help advance a 21st Century vision to promote a safer, more efficient, environmentally sound and sustainable worldwide transportation infrastructure. During his tenure as Secretary of Transportation, Mr. Slater oversaw development of the Acela Express high speed rail service in the Northeast Corridor.
AnthonyPerl, Ph.D.,Director - Urban Studies Program, Simon Fraser University, Vancouver, Canada. Professor Perl is considered one of the leading high speed rail experts in the world and has written 2 of the most important books on the topic including Transport Revolutions, and New Departures.
Katherine Perez, Executive Director Urban Land Institute, Los Angeles, CA. Ms. Perez is a professional transportation planner and urban design specialist with a diverse background in real estate development, urban planning, government policy, advocacy, green building, and promoting transit oriented development. Southern California based Business Life magazine recognized her as an 'outstanding leader'.
Governor Parris Glendening, President, Smart Growth Leadership Institute in Washington, DC. Mr. Glendening was the governor of Maryland from 1995 to 2003, during which time he positioned Maryland as a national leader in smart growth. As President of the Smart Growth Leadership Institute, Mr. Glendening works to help states advance smart growth and sustainability across America.
Jim Collins,Director & Head of Rail Transport, Steer Davies Gleave, London. Mr. Collins has 40 years of experience in the rail sector in operations, commercial strategy, and development for public and private sector rail operators. He recently directed a major project investigating the business case for a new high speed line in the UK for Network Rail.
Apolinar Rodriguez, International Director, Renfe, Spain. Renfe operates the entire national railway system in Spain, and is currently undertaking one of the largest high speed rail expansion projects on earth with the goal to have a high speed station within a short distance of every citizen of Spain.
Martin Bay, CEO DB International, Germany. Mr. Bay directs the company which develops, plans, constructs, and operates the rail system throughout Germany. Known for its high speed ICE trains, DB is a global leader in high speed rail.
Japan Railways Representative, (Speaker to be announced). Japan is the global leader in high speed rail systems and was the first country to initiate a national high speed rail network in 1964, and has since carried 7 billion passengers. Michael Bedke, Esq., Partner, DLA Piper, Florida. Mr. Bedke is the co-founder of ConnectUs, the Florida High Speed Rail organization. Mr. Bedke leads the real estate practice group of DLA Piper's Florida office. He has been named one of the country's leading real estate lawyers, has been cited in The Best Lawyers in America and Marquis Who's Who, and listed as a Florida Super Lawyer and one of the Florida Legal Elite.
Huw Thomas,Partner, Foster + Partners Architects, London. Foster + Partners is known for exciting transportation architecture, and has done projects in more than 50 countries including St. Pancras high speed station, London; Florence High Speed Rail Station, Italy; Millennium Pedestrian Bridge crossing River Thames, London; Millau Viaduct bridge, France; and Bilbao Metro, Spain.
Mayor John Robert Smith, President & CEO Reconnecting America. Mr. Smith is the former Mayor of Meridian, Mississippi, and a long time activist on behalf of passenger rail. He is a former member of Amtrak's board, a member of the transportation committees of the National League of Cities and the U.S. Conference of Mayors.
Norman Anderson, President & CEO - CG/LA Infrastructure in Washington, DC. Mr. Anderson focuses on infrastructure project creation, finance, and performance, and develops infrastructure projects globally. He is also a visiting professor in the Politecnico de Madrid, and a regular contributor to AmericaEconomia.
Aileen Cho, Senior Transportation Editor, Engineering News Record (ENR), New York. Ms. Cho writes extensively about high speed rail and transportation issues in the leading publication for the engineering and infrastructure construction fields.
Antonio Perez, President & CEO, Talgo Inc., Spain. Mr. Perez directs one of the leading train manufacturing companies in the world. Talgo high speed trains operate on the new high speed lines between Madrid and Barcelona, as well as Madrid to Valladolid.
Richard Harnish, Executive Director - Midwest High Speed Rail Association in Chicago. Mr. Harnish has been working to build support for high speed rail in the Midwest region for more than 15 years. The Association represents one of the leading regions expected to receive major funding from the Federal Government for high speed rail. Maria Angeles Bueno, Ineco Tifsa, Spain. Ms. Bueno is head of the firm's technology department and has been involved in the European standardized automatic train protection system. Ineco Tifsa Group has been deeply involved in the new development of the high speed rail network in Spain.
Jan Moorlag, Project Director, Arcadis. Arcadis has been involved in the design and construction of many high speed rail systems around the world, providing track design, civil engineering, electrical engineering, signal and communications engineering, and construction management/supervision.
John Krieger, Esq. Federal Transportation Counsel, U.S.PIRG in Washington, DC. Mr. Krieger is a lobbyist on Capitol Hill for transportation issues, focusing a major part of his effort on high speed rail. He has served as an expert witness before the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, and has organized and spoken at numerous press conferences and legislative briefings with members of Congress, including the Chairman of the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee.
Gregory Kats. Senior Director, Director of climate change policy, Good Energies, Washington, DC. Good Energies is a several billion dollar global clean energy investment firm helping to scale up wind and solar power. Mr. Kats has previously served as the director of financing for energy efficiency and renewable energy at the U.S. Department of Energy.
Stuart Sirota, AICP, CNU. Principal, TND Planning Group, Baltimore, MD. Mr. Sirota is an urban planner and transportation specialist. His work focuses on the integration of the different modes of transit with land planning to create sustainable, walkable urbanism.
William Schroeer, State Policy Director, Smart Growth America, Washington, DC. Mr. Schroeer has over 20 years experience designing and directing transportation and land use policy evaluations for government, nonprofit, and private clients. During the 1990s, Mr. Schroeer was an Economist with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency where he led the agency's Transportation Group.
High Speed Rail 2009 proved to be an exciting event and drew a diverse crowd from more than 15 countries. Don't miss our upcoming High Speed Rail 2010 in Orlando on March 4-5! More info
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