Pat Foye
14th Chairman and CEO of the Metropolitan Transportation Authority
In office
April 1, 2019[1] – Jul 29, 2021[2]
GovernorAndrew Cuomo
Preceded byJoe Lhota
Fernando Ferrer (acting)
Succeeded byJanno Lieber
President of the Metropolitan Transportation Authority
In office
August 3, 2017 – April 1, 2019
Appointed byAndrew Cuomo
Succeeded byPosition abolished
Executive Director of the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey
In office
November 1, 2011 – August 13, 2017
Appointed byAndrew Cuomo
Preceded byChristopher O. Ward
Succeeded byRick Cotton
Personal details
Born
Patrick Joseph Foye

(1957-01-31) January 31, 1957 (age 67)
Political partyIndependent
EducationFordham University (BA)
Fordham University (JD)
OccupationLawyer

Patrick Joseph Foye (born January 31, 1957) is an American lawyer who served as Chairman and CEO of the New York Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA). Prior to this role, he served as President of the MTA and Executive Director of the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey.

Life and career

Foye graduated cum laude from Fordham University and attended Fordham Law School, where he served as associate editor for the Fordham Law Review. [3][4] Foye also received an honorary doctorate of humane letters from Fordham University on May 21, 2022.[5] As a lawyer, he worked with Skadden Arps. He was appointed by Governor Eliot Spitzer to be chairman of New York's Empire State Development Corporation and was a board member of the Metropolitan Transportation Authority. Foye was Deputy County Executive for Economic Development under Nassau County Executive Ed Mangano.[6]

In October 2011, Governor Andrew Cuomo appointed Foye to the post of Executive Director of the Port Authority. Cuomo ousted Christopher O. Ward who was a David Paterson appointee.[7][8][9] In November 2015, Foye announced would leave the position in March 2016.[10] In March 2016, Foye announced he would delay his departure from the position until June 2016, as no replacement had yet been named.[11] Foye later decided to remain in his post as executive director.[12] On August 14, 2017, Foye was succeeded by Rick Cotton as Executive Director of the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey.

In 2017, Foye became President of the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA). On April 1, 2019, Foye was appointed Chairman and CEO of the MTA by Governor Cuomo with approval from the New York State Senate.[13] In late July 2021, Pat Foye stepped down at the behest of Governor Cuomo to be replaced by Janno Lieber.[14] In September 2021, after Andrew Cuomo stepped down, Foye announced he would not become the CEO of Empire State Development, and allow Kathy Hochul to nominate her own choice.[15]

Since leaving government, Foye has advocated on behalf of ASTM in support of their proposal for a new 8th avenue entrance to Pennsylvania Station (New York City). [16]

Fort Lee lane closure scandal

Main article: Fort Lee lane closure scandal
Wikisource has original text related to this article:
Patrick Foye email ordering lanes reopened, September 13, 2013

Foye played a key role in ending an allegedly politically motivated traffic blockage that caused gridlock in Fort Lee, New Jersey for four days in 2013. On Monday, September 9 two of three toll lanes leading to the George Washington Bridge from Fort Lee local streets were closed during morning rush hour. Local officials, emergency services, and the public were not notified of the lane closures, which Fort Lee declared a threat to public safety.[17] The resulting back-ups on local streets finally ended on Friday morning, September 13 when Foye ordered the two lanes reopened immediately. He said that the "hasty and ill-informed decision" to close lanes could have endangered lives and violated federal and state laws.[18]

References

  1. ^ Metropolitan Transportation Authority. "Patrick J. Foye". Archived from the original on February 22, 2020. Retrieved February 21, 2020.
  2. ^ "Cuomo names MTA construction chief Janno Lieber as agency's acting chairman".
  3. ^ "Pat Foye, FCRH '78, LAW '81 Receives Honorary Degree at Fordham Commencement". Fordham Newsroom. May 27, 2022. Retrieved June 3, 2022.
  4. ^ "Governor Cuomo Names Patrick Foye to Lead the MTA". Fordham Newsroom. April 11, 2019. Retrieved June 7, 2019.
  5. ^ "Pat Foye, FCRH '78, LAW '81 Receives Honorary Degree at Fordham Commencement". Fordham Newsroom. May 27, 2022. Retrieved June 3, 2022.
  6. ^ Chaban, Matt (October 19, 2011). "Foye-ward! Pat Foye to Lead Port Authority [Updated] | The New York Observer". Observer.com. Retrieved January 11, 2014.
  7. ^ O'Grady, Jim (October 19, 2011). "Patrick Foye Named New Executive Director of NY-NJ Port Authority". WNYC. Retrieved January 11, 2014.
  8. ^ Brown, Eliot (March 17, 2008). "Pat Foye, New York Development Chief, Resigns". Observer.com. The New York Observer. Retrieved January 11, 2014.
  9. ^ Brown, Eliot (December 11, 2007). "How Pat Foye Spends His Days". Observer.com. The New York Observer. Retrieved January 11, 2014.
  10. ^ Strunsky, Steve (November 19, 2015). "Port Authority head stepping down after being passed over for CEO job". NJ.com. Retrieved August 1, 2017.
  11. ^ Berger, Paul (March 17, 2016). "Foye delays departure from Port Authority". North Jersey. Retrieved August 1, 2017.
  12. ^ Lovett, Kenneth (October 17, 2016). "Cuomo aides: Pat Foye not leaving Port Authority". NY Daily News. Retrieved August 1, 2017.
  13. ^ Fitzsimmons, Emma G. (April 2, 2019). "Cuomo Promised Transparency at the M.T.A. Then Its Leader Was Confirmed While You Slept". The New York Times.
  14. ^ Guse, Clayton (July 29, 2021). "Cuomo names MTA construction chief Janno Lieber as agency's acting chairman". New York Daily News.
  15. ^ Winzelberg, David (September 7, 2021). "Pat Foye declines ESD leadership post". Long Island Business News.
  16. ^ https://therealdeal.com/new-york/2023/06/28/astm-unveils-6b-penn-station-vision/
  17. ^ Alcindor, Yamiche (January 9, 2014). "Fort Lee traffic jam caused human debacle". USA Today. Retrieved February 17, 2014.
  18. ^ "PA chief Patrick Foye's email on George Washington Bridge closures". Newsday. January 10, 2014. Retrieved January 13, 2014.
Preceded byChristopher O. Ward Executive Director of the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey May 2011 – 2017 Succeeded byRick Cotton
Political offices Preceded byFernando Ferrer Chairman and CEO of the MTA 2019–present Incumbent
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