Rail enterprise leader is leaving Florida Department of Transportation

[thelakelander]

Nazih Haddad, chief operating officer of the Florida Rail Enterprise, is leaving his job at the state Department of Transportation. Haddad's announcement comes just a month after Gov. Rick Scott rejected $2.4 billion in federal money to build a high speed rail line between Tampa and Orlando. The bullet train was the enterprise's largest responsibility.

In an e-mail to family and friends with the subject line "Time to Move on," Haddad said he is taking a job working for the Qatar Railways Company.  He will be responsible for development of a $26 billion light rail, high-speed rail and freight rail system set to be completed before Qatar hosts the World Cup in 2022. Haddad, who has worked at DOT for more than 30 years, said the job has been in the works for months, but he was reluctant to accept the position when high speed rail was on the horizon for Florida. Now, of course, that's not an issue.

"I am disappointed we were not successful in bringing HSR to fruition in Florida but proud of the superb effort and of the great team we brought together with over one hundred and fifty extremely dedicated people from both inside and outside the Department to undertake the project," Haddad wrote.

Meanwhile, Scott still hasn't appointed anyone to head the Florida Department of Transportation, even though the Florida Transportation Commission recommended three picks for the job on Feb. 11.

Scott did, though, appoint two people on Monday to the Florida Transportation Commission: Manny Marono, the mayor of Sweetwater and an early Scott supporter; and Jay Trumbull, of Panama City, the president of Culligan Water.

Read more: http://miamiherald.typepad.com/nakedpolitics/2011/03/rail-enterprise-leader-is-leaving-florida-department-of-transportation-.html#ixzz1GdJb0B5b

[Lunican]

Sounds like a good idea.

[thelakelander]

Can't say I blame the guy.  Its an opportunity of a lifetime for someone in his position.

[JeffreyS]

Can't say I blame the guy.  Its an opportunity of a lifetime for someone in his position.

vs. staying in a state where they put Barnie Fife in charge. I sure hope he keeps that one bullet in his shirt pocket.

[Ocklawaha]

Meanwhile, Scott still hasn't appointed anyone to head the Florida Department of Transportation, even though the Florida Transportation Commission recommended three picks for the job on Feb. 11.

Scott did, though, appoint two people on Monday to the Florida Transportation Commission: Manny Marono, the mayor of Sweetwater and an early Scott supporter; and Jay Trumbull, of Panama City, the president of Culligan Water.

Well let's hope Sr. Marono, will bring some of that Latin transit savvy to Tallahassee. Sweetwater M/L a Miami equivalent of Mandarin (but a self governed complete city) within the Miami metro area is served by the NUMBER - 7, 137, 71, 212, 40, 51, 11, 8 bus of Miami-Dade Transit, a mini hub in the far west of the metro. 93% Latino, it is possible that the high bus count has something to do with lack of citizen mobility.

Mr. Trumbell? Anybody know? Is this guy a model railroader? REALLY? A water softener guy?

Qatar Railways Development Company is a joint venture between the Qatari Diar real estate arm of state-owned Qatar Investment Authority (51%), and the DB International subsidiary of Germany's national railway (49%).

قطر شركة السكك الحديدية This ought to be an interesting "Colombia like," adventure... Good luck Haddad.

OCKLAWAHA

[north miami]

Think of the money the tax payers would save if we just cut most of these top level DOT positions!

[mtraininjax]

FDOT saw the largest number of cuts by the Governor's budget. This was probably the last straw for this guy and I am sure he won't be the last. FDOT will probably be combined with other agencies to save money as part of the governor's plans, so we may need a microscope to find FDOT in the future when searching for them in state government.

[tufsu1]

sorry....FDOT did not see the largest cuts and will not be combined with other agencies...perhaps you are thinking of DCA?

[mtraininjax]

FDOT did not see the largest cuts and will not be combined with other agencies...perhaps you are thinking of DCA?

TU reported they did.

If they have not been combined, they will....not enough critical mass to deserve their own entity.

[tufsu1]

mtrain....why would you believe the TU?

the Governor's budget may have proposed a large $ cut to FDOT, but that is because the agency has a pretty big budget (they do builds you know)....but as a %, it isn't even close...DCF, DCA. DOE, and prisons are proposed to get hit much harder.

Also, the idea of combining FDOT with another agency, say DEP is a non-starter....the Governor got ripped immediately for that idea by many legislators.