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THE WHITE HOUSE

Office of the Press Secretary

For Immediate Release May 21, 1998

                    PRESIDENT CLINTON NAMES MEMBERS 
                      OF THE AMTRAK REFORM BOARD

The President today announced his intent to appoint Secretary of Transportation Rodney Slater and his intent to nominate Sylvia De Leon, Linwood Holton, Amy M. Rosen, John Robert Smith, Michael Dukakis, and Tommy G. Thompson as Members of the Amtrak Reform Board.

Secretary Rodney Slater, of Marianna, Arkansas, serves as the U.S. Secretary of Transportation. Previously, Secretary Slater served as Federal Highway Administrator from 1993 to 1996. From 1987 to 1992, Secretary Slater was a member of the Arkansas State Highway Commission, serving as its Chairman in 1992. He received a B.S. from Eastern Michigan University and a J.D. from the University of Arkansas at Fayetteville.

Ms. Sylvia de Leon, of Corpus Christi, Texas and Washington, D.C., is a Senior Partner at the law firm of Akin, Gump, Strauss, Hauer & Feld, L.L.P. As a member of the firmwide management committee, she oversees 11 worldwide offices and 700 lawyers. She is a founding member of Akin Gump's nationally recognized public law and policy practice and she heads the firm's transportation practice with expertise in rail, aviation, transit, and highways. Ms. de Leon represents both governmental entities and corporations and has expertise in antitrust and international law. Ms. de Leon currently serves as a Member of the Amtrak Board of Directors and Chair of the Corporate Strategy Committee. She serves on the University of Texas Development Board and is a member of the State Bar of Texas and the District of Columbia Bar. Ms. De Leon received her B.A. from Briarcliff College and a J.D. from the University of Texas School of Law.

Governor Linwood Holton, of McLean, Virginia, is the former Governor of Virginia, serving from 1970 to 1974. In 1994, Governor Holton was a Director of Mezzullo & McCandlish, and from December 1986 to 1992, he was Chairman and Member of the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority. From 1988 to 1994, Governor Holton was President for the Center of Innovative Technology. He was a Member of the Washington law firm Hogan & Hartson from 1975 to 1978. Governor Holton received a B.A. from Washington & Lee University and an L.L.B. from Harvard Law School.

Ms. Amy M. Rosen, of Montclair, New Jersey, is currently the Managing Partner at Public Private Initiatives where she advises public and private clients on innovative financial structures. She has over 20 years of transportation and financial management experience. From 1988 to 1997, Ms. Rosen served as a Senior Vice President in a variety of positions where she launched several new lines of business including the development of their Transportation Services Group. Prior to serving at Lockheed Martin IMS, Ms. Rosen was Regional Vice President for Datacom Services and Vice President for Equicomm, Inc. From 1977 to 1981, Ms. Rosen was at the New Jersey Department of Transportation where she served as both Executive Director and Deputy Commissioner. Since 1991, Ms. Rosen has served as a Member of the New Jersey Transit Board of Directors and is currently Vice Chairman. She also serves as a Member of the Amtrak Board of Directors and as Chair of the Finance Committee. Ms. Rosen received her B.A. in Political Science from Claremont Colleges (Pitzer) and has attended the Harvard Business School's executive education program.

Mayor John Robert Smith, of Meridian, Mississippi, currently serves as the city's Mayor. An advocate of passenger rail, Mr. Smith is the founder and co-chairman of the Crescent Corridor Coalition, composed of mayors on Amtrak's Crescent Line. He is also Chairman of the National Forum on the Future of Passenger Rail. Mayor Smith serves on the Transportation and Communications committees of both the U.S. Conference of Mayors and the National League of Cities. Mr. Smith received B.S. degrees in pharmacy and biology & chemistry from the University of Mississippi.

Governor Michael Dukakis, of Brookline, Massachusetts, is currently a Distinguished Professor of Political Science at Northeastern University, and a Visiting Professor at the School of Public Policy and Social Research at the University of California at Los Angeles (UCLA). Governor Dukakis served three terms as Governor of Massachusetts. From 1982 to 1990, he served two consecutive four year terms and from 1974 to 1978, he served one term. Mr. Dukakis served as the lead Governor on High Speed Rail for the Coalition of Northeast Governors. From 1962 to 1970, Governor Dukakis served in the Massachusetts State Legislature. He served two years in the United States Army, spending sixteen months with the Support Group to the United Nations Delegation to the Military Armistice Commission in Munsan, Korea. Governor Dukakis received his B.A. from Swarthmore College and a J.D. from Harvard Law School.

Governor Tommy G. Thompson, of Madison, Wisconsin, is currently serving his third consecutive term as Governor of Wisconsin. First elected Governor in 1986, he is a former member of the Board of Directors of Amtrak, having served in the 1980's. Prior to serving as Governor, he was a member of the Wisconsin Assembly from 1966 to 1986. During that time, he was a member of the Joint Committee on Employment Relations, the Joint Committee on Legislative Organization, the Legislative Council, and the Strategic Development Commission. Governor Thompson received his B.A. in Political Science and J.D. from the University of Wisconsin.

Recently-passed Amtrak reform legislation (P.L. 105-134, December 2, 1997) requires the Administration establish a new Amtrak Reform Board. The new Board of Directors, as required by the Amtrak Reform and Accountability Act, will set overall policy and direction for the railroad, appoint a new President, oversee Amtrak's management operations and approve Amtrak's budget and capital expenditures.

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