POSTPONED: The Infrastructure Symposium

José Luis Ábalos

Diputado de la IX, X, XI, XII, XIII y XIV legislaturas. Casado Maestro. Consultor Cooperación Internacional. Doctor Honoris Causa por la Universidad de San Pedro (Perú). Secretario de Organización del PSOE. Jefe de Gabinete del Delegado del Gobierno CV (1983-1988). Jefe de Gabinete del Conseller de Trabajo GV (1988-1991). Responsable del Programa de Cooperación Internacional GV (1989-1992). Asesor del Ayuntamiento VLC (1992-1999). Concejal del Ayuntamiento de Valencia (1999-2009). Diputado Provincial (2003-2007).

Stephen C. Beatty

Steve serves as the Non-Executive Global Chairman for the Infrastructure practice and the Chairman of Global Cities Center of Excellence for KPMG. He has a BBA from Wilfrid Laurier University, an MBA from York University and has over 32 years’ experience with KPMG. In a private capacity, Steve sits on advisory boards relating to the infrastructure programs at the Stanford University Business School and the Cornell University Program in Infrastructure Policy. Steve is well-recognized as an expert in public infrastructure projects and has worked on engagements across six continents. During his career, Steve has been involved in numerous negotiations on complex infrastructure projects and has been instrumental to his clients in delivering large infrastructure projects. Steve has led many major infrastructure transactions and has advised both public and private sector clients extensively in infrastructure privatization strategy, transportation planning, public-private partnership (PPP) policy development and project financing. He has assisted public sector clients in project scoping, process design, process execution, and negotiation with private developers. For private sector clients, his assistance has included business strategies, financing approaches, and preparation of bids related to highway and other infrastructure projects. Areas of expertise: Advisory, Airports, Healthcare, IT infrastructure, Infrastructure, Mega trends, Power and Utilities, Roads, Waste Water Treatment Water.

Kevin Eckerle

Kevin Eckerle is the Director of Corporate Research and Engagement at the Center for Sustainable Business, New York University (NYU) Stern School of Business, where he draws upon his more than 12 years’ experience working with private and public organizations to develop and implement transformational strategies that leverage sustainability as a driver of value creation. Prior to NYU, Kevin was a sustainability strategist with Accenture Strategy and Esty Environmental Partners (now part of PricewaterhouseCoopers), working with corporate, government and non-profit clients to embed sustainability. Prior to his consulting career, Kevin served in the U.S. Senate as a Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, where he oversaw several of the nation’s largest scientific agencies, including NASA, NOAA and the National Science Foundation. He began his career as a biologist, studying the unending variety of ornaments, dances and songs that birds use to dazzle their mates. Kevin is a frequent speaker on sustainability and the circular economy, and is the author or co-author of 10+ publications on the circular economy, engaging consumers to promote sustainable decision-making and grow business value, the economics of coal-generated electricity, the impacts of climate change on global biodiversity, and the ecology of birds. He earned his Ph.D. from Illinois State University and MBA from The George Washington University School of Business.

Morteza Farajian

Prior to his Bureau appointment, Morteza Farajian, Ph.D., served as acting Deputy Secretary of Transportation and was Director of Public-Private Partnerships (P3) at the Virginia Department of Transportation. There, he headed procurement, financing, and contract negotiation for multiple multi-modal transportation projects totaling $10 billion. He led reform of the VDOT P3 program to promote competition, engage stakeholders, and increase accountability; and, he established the first strategic program to manage a portfolio of P3 contracts post-procurement, totaling $14 billion in project value. Dr. Farajian is also an entrepreneur and co-founded a crowd-financing platform that provides local and small investors the opportunity to invest in infrastructure projects as equity or subordinate debt. He received his Ph.D. and M.Sc. degrees in Project Management from the University of Maryland. He also has a B.S. degree in Civil Engineering. He currently serves as a board member on ARTBA’s P3 Division and TRB’s Revenue and Finance committee.

Patrick J. Foye

Patrick J. Foye became Chairman and CEO of the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) in April 2019, overseeing critical agency priorities and the agency’s day-to-day management. Previously, he served as President of the MTA from August 2017 through April 2019, providing leadership on modernization initiatives and strategic opportunities, including: leading the push for Central Business District Tolling to fund investment in the transit system, attracting private capital to the MTA, and ensuring the agency remains financially viable by leading cost reduction initiatives. He also served as a member of the MTA Board from 2010 to 2012. Prior to joining the MTA, Foye led the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey as Executive Director for six years, from November 2011 to August 2017. At the Port Authority, he managed day-to-day operations at the bi-state agency and guided the development of the agency’s ten year, $32.2-billion Capital Plan, while overseeing some of the nation’s most significant P3 transactions, including the redevelopment of LaGuardia Airport and the building of a new Goethals Bridge. Foye also served as Deputy Secretary for Economic Development for Governor Andrew M. Cuomo, the downstate Chairman of ESDC, and Vice Chair and board member of the Long Island Power Authority. He was a Mergers and Acquisitions partner at Skadden Arps and managing partner of the firm’s Brussels, Budapest and Moscow offices, and served as Executive Vice President of AIMCO, a leading multi-family REIT and a component of the S&P 500.

Jane C. Garvey

Jane Garvey is the North America Chairman of Meridiam Infrastructure, a global investor and asset manager specialized in developing, financing and managing long-term public infrastructure projects. Ms. Garvey is a recognized global thought leader in business and highly regarded former U.S. government official. During her career in public service, Ms. Garvey served as the 14th Administrator of the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) from August 1997 to August 2002. She was the first FAA administrator to serve a full five‐year term and also the first female to lead the agency. As Administrator of the FAA, Ms. Garvey guided the agency through many safety and modernization milestones. She led the FAA through the extraordinarily formidable events of September 11, 2001 with compassion and assurance of mission. She also pioneered the FAA through Y2K preparation and implementation and is known for her deliberate collaboration and ability to bring all stakeholders together. Ms. Garvey is recognized for her breadth of experience at all levels of government. Ms. Garvey served as Acting Administrator and Deputy Administrator of the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA). Among her accomplishments at FHWA, she conceived and developed the Innovative Financing Initiative—appropriately named GARVEE bonds, enabling states to use federal highway funds more effectively. Most of the funds-management methods tested by more than 30 states under this initiative were later enacted into law and helped finance important infrastructure projects around the country. Before leading the FHWA, Ms. Garvey was director of Boston’s Logan International Airport. From 1988 to 1991, she was Commissioner of the Massachusetts Department of Public Works under Governor Michael Dukakis. After leaving government service, Ms. Garvey led the U.S. Public/Private Partnerships advisory group at JPMorgan, where she advised states on financing strategies to facilitate much‐needed project delivery for state governments. Throughout her career, Ms. Garvey has received numerous awards of distinction and recognition for her leadership in business and public service. In 2003 she joined several pioneers in aviation who were honored as the 100 Heroes in Aviation History as part of the First Flight Centennial Celebration in Kitty Hawk. Among her achievements, Ms. Garvey has received the Eno Lifetime of Service Award for her many contributions to transportation and infrastructure policy. She has been awarded the National Air Transportation Association’s Distinguished Service Award, the Natal Council of Public‐Private Partnerships Leadership Award, and the National Award of Excellence for Public Leaders. Ms. Garvey has also received the Woman of the Year Award from Women in Transportation and Women in Politics and the L. Welch Pogue Lifetime Achievement Award from the International Aviation Club Board of Governors in Washington. Most recently, she was awarded the Lifetime Achievement Award at the WINiT Gala sponsored by the Global Business Travel Association (GBTA). Ms. Garvey is the Chairman of the United Airlines Holdings, Inc. Board of Directors and has served on many presidential and states/local level commissions and councils. Ms. Garvey was previously the Chairman of the U.S. Department of Commerce's Investment Advisory Council (IAC) and served on the boards of the MITRE Corporation, Skanska AB and Bipartisan Policy Center (BPC).

Belen Marcos

Belen Marcos is the United States President of Cintra, a global leader in transportation infrastructure development with U.S. headquarters in Austin, Texas. As president, Ms. Marcos is responsible for leading Cintra’s U.S. operations, which includes over $10.3 billion in infrastructure projects and investments. Ms. Marcos has more than 15 years of international leadership experience managing and operating tolled highways in the private infrastructure development and construction sectors. Most recently, she served as the Chief Executive Officer of the highly successful LBJ Express, North Tarrant Express and North Tarrant Express 35W managed lanes projects in the Dallas-Fort Worth region. In that capacity, she was responsible for the overall management, implementation, delivery and operation of the projects. Ms. Marcos began her career in the Business Development Department at Cintra’s corporate offices in Madrid, Spain. She then went on to hold the leadership positions of Chief Operating Officer for the Chicago Skyway in Chicago, Illinois, and Chief Information Officer for the Indiana Toll Road in Granger, Indiana. Ms. Marcos earned a bachelor’s and master’s degree in Civil Engineering from Universitat Politècnica de València in Spain and a master’s degree in Transportation Infrastructure from Ecole Nationale des Ponts et Chaussées in France. She and her family live in Austin, Texas.

Javier Pérez Fortea

Mr. Perez Fortea joined GLOBALVIA in 2011 as Corporate Managing Director and was promoted to Chief Executive Officer in 2013. He is a Member of UNECE PPP Business Advisory Board since April, 2016 and Member of the Advisory Board of Cornell University's Program in Infrastructure Policy (CPIP) since October, 2016 He is a Civil Engineer with over thirty years’ experience who started his professional career in the world of construction. He worked firstly in Spain and then in the USA, Indonesia, The Philippines and Jamaica as Country General Manager for several Spanish construction companies. He has worked in the transportation infrastructure PPP world having been involved in the world's largest projects of this nature. He worked for Cintra (1999-2011) as Highways Director for Spain, Europe and South America and handled a total investment of over €8 Billion worldwide having participated in the successful refinancing of H407ETR after award. Prior to that in Acciona (1996-1999) he managed a US $ 2.5 billion railroad PPP project in Manila (Philippines). As a Country Manager for OHL in Indonesia (1993-1996) he built a river cargo wharf and a US $500 Million New Town in the rainforest of Irian Jaya with 3,500 local workers in only 18 months. Mr. Perez Fortea has been responsible for the financing, construction and operation of infrastructure projects in 14 countries in 3 different continents.

Fernando J. Rodriguez Marin

Fernando Rodriguez Marin advises developers, investors and financial institutions on infrastructure, energy and real estate projects. He represents clients in project finance and public private partnership (P3) transactions, including roads, rail, brownfield and greenfield infrastructure projects and renewable energy projects. In addition, Fernando negotiates, drafts and reviews P3, concession and credit agreements on behalf of government agencies, private businesses and investors. Fernando has extensive experience in Latin American and Spanish matters. He has represented government agencies, consortiums and financial institutions in financings and infrastructure projects in many Latin American jurisdictions including Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Mexico, Peru and Central America. For 15 years, Fernando led a practice in Spain, which concentrated on real estate, corporate and financial matters.

Antonio Silveira

He has a PhD in Economics from the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro. He was the Deputy Chief of Economic Advice of the Ministry of Planning, Secretary of Economic Monitoring of the Ministry of Finance and Minister of the Secretariat of Ports of the Government of Brazil. He participated in Directories of public and private companies, which include Caixa Económica Federal, Vale S.A. (Fiscal Council) and Banco do Nordeste. He worked as Executive Director for Brazil at the World Bank and the IDB.

Ambassador Alan D. Solomont

Alan D. Solomont, former United States Ambassador to Spain and Andorra and a lifelong social and political activist, serves as the Pierre and Pamela Omidyar Dean of the Jonathan M. Tisch College of Civic Life at Tufts University. Before his posting to Madrid, Solomont chaired the bipartisan board of directors of the Corporation for National and Community Service, the federal agency that oversees such domestic service programs as AmeriCorps, Learn and Serve America, VISTA and Senior Corps. He was first appointed to the board by President Clinton in 2000, reappointed by President George W. Bush in 2007 and elected chair in 2009. Like President Obama, who nominated him for the ambassadorship in the summer of 2009, Solomont as a young man worked as a community organizer, in the city of Lowell, Mass. Throughout his career, Solomont has embraced the ability of political activism and public service to benefit society. After graduating from Tufts with a B.A. in political science and urban studies, Solomont made his first trip to Spain on a Thomas J. Watson Fellowship for postgraduate study and travel abroad. He returned to his native Massachusetts to work as a community organizer in Lowell. His mother was a nurse at Boston City Hospital, and he earned a B.S. in nursing from the University of Lowell (now the University of Massachusetts Lowell) in 1977. Solomont spent much of his professional career in the health- and elder-care arenas. He built a network of elder-care facilities in New England as chair of Solomont Bailis Ventures. He invested in early-stage health-care companies and cofounded HouseWorks, a home-care company that helps seniors remain independent. He was also the founder and managing director of Angel Healthcare Investors. A longtime leader in the Democratic Party, Solomont got his first exposure to national politics as an undergraduate in 1968, when he worked as a page during the tumultuous Democratic National Convention in Chicago. Later, he served as the party’s national finance chair from 1997 to 1998, and he was an early supporter of Barack Obama’s bid for the presidency. He played key roles in the presidential campaigns of John Kerry, Al Gore, Bill Clinton and Michael Dukakis. Through the years, Solomont has remained deeply involved in Tufts. A trustee emeritus of the university, Solomont was the founding chair of the Tisch College board of advisors. To mark the 10th anniversary of the college in 2011, his friends and colleagues endowed the Alan D. Solomont Lecture in recognition of his leadership as an active citizen. Congresswoman Nancy Pelosi, the first woman speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives, gave the inaugural lecture. Other speakers have included United States Congressman and civil rights icon Rep. John Lewis.