Kris Kolluri, former CEO of the $16.1 billion Gateway Development Commission, will serve as the next President and CEO of NJ Transit following the resignation of Kevin Corbett, who will continue to serve in the position until Jan. 15, New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy said.
“Kris Kolluri has played a vital role in strengthening our region’s transit infrastructure, and I am confident in his ability to lead NJ Transit as we work to deliver the reliable, efficient, and modernized mass transit system that New Jerseyans deserve,” said Gov. Phil Murphy.
“As CEO of the Gateway Development Commission, Kris was an exceptional leader and a relentless champion for the Hudson Tunnel Project, who helped secure the largest federal investment in a mass transit project in our nation’s history and oversaw the start of construction on both sides of the Hudson River – all in less than three years. I am grateful for his continued dedication to our state’s future, and look forward to working with him.”
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A former commissioner of New Jersey’s Department of Transportation, he also previously served as CEO of the Rowan University/Rutgers – Camden Board of Governors. He was the CEO of the New Jersey Schools Development Authority, where he oversaw the state’s $5.3 billion school construction program. He also was the chair of the New Jersey Turnpike Authority and the South Jersey Transportation Authority, overseeing 17,000 employees.
Prior to his work in the infrastructure and social equity space, Kris worked as a staff member in the United States Congress for over a decade, eventually becoming a senior policy advisor to House Democratic Leader Richard A. Gephardt. In that capacity, he assisted freshman members of Congress in developing long-term policy initiatives.
Kolluri has a Bachelor of Science from Rutgers University and a Juris Doctor degree from Georgetown University. He was an adjunct faculty member at Rutgers University Law School during the 2011 & 2012 academic years. He also served on the Rowan University Board of Trustees, the Southern New Jersey Chamber of Commerce Board, and the New Jersey Board of the Regional Plan Association.
“I am honored that Governor Murphy has recommended me to be the President and Chief Executive Officer to the NJ Transit Board,” said Kolluri. “Through his leadership and targeted investments, Governor Murphy has made improving NJ Transit a cornerstone of his administration. Over the next year, I look forward to working with the Governor and the Board to continue putting NJ Transit on a pathway to carry out the improvements that customers expect and deserve.”