George Warrington

WARRINGTON GEORGE D. WARRINGTON (Age 55) National and Regional Transportation Leader George D. Warrington, former Executive Director of New Jersey Transit and Amtrak President and CEO, died December 24, 2007, at his home in Mendham, New Jersey, following a courageous, eight-month battle with pancreatic cancer. He was 55 years old. George is credited with championing major transportation infrastructure projects and services including the launch of Amtrak's Acela Express high-speed rail service and the ARC Tunnel, a third passenger railroad tunnel between New Jersey and Manhattan. Spanning a career of more than 30 years, George held chief executive positions with Amtrak, NJ Transit, and the Delaware River Port Authority. He left NJ Transit in March 2007 to co-found the strategic counseling firm of Warrington Fox Shuffler in New York City , along with his two partners, Jamie Fox and Eric Shuffler. As Amtrak's Corporate President and CEO from 1998 to 2002 and chief executive of its Northeast Corridor from 1994 to 1998, George led the introduction of the nation's first high-speed rail service, Acela Express. Mr. Warrington was a strong advocate of a national rail system built upon corridors, modeled after the successful Northeast Corridor's Acela Express service. George dedicated most of his professional career to public service in New Jersey. Upon leaving Amtrak, he became the Executive Director of NJ Transit, a move he said would allow him to once again make a difference in his home state. He was also returning to the agency he helped to create at the beginning of his career in the 1970s, as a special assistant to then NJ Department of Transportation Commissioner Louis Gambaccinni. During his tenure as Executive Director of New Jersey Transit from 2002 to 2007, George continued his professional passion of expanding and making rail service more readily available. He is credited with expanding the New Jersey system, seeking customer input in service and product design, and developing a historic bi-state alliance making way for the funding of the ARC Tunnel, a third passenger rail tunnel between New Jersey and Manhattan. George also served as Vice President and General Manager of New Jersey Transit's rail operations from 1980 to 1990. His other public service in New Jersey included serving as Deputy Commissioner and Chief of Staff of the New Jersey Department of Transportation from 1990 to 1992, after which he joined the Delaware River Port Authority as its executive director. Those who worked with George remember him as hard charging with a great command of detail, quick intellect, a no-nonsense style and talent for building alliances and coalitions. And across the board, he was known for his sense of humor that put everyone at ease. George David Warrington was born in Bayonne , New Jersey, in 1952, to the late Rita and George P. Warrington. He was raised in Ridgefield Park where he attended high school, and throughout his life had also lived in Scotch Plains, Westfield and Voorhees. George previously resided in Ellicott City, Maryland, before moving to Mendham in 2002. A proud alumnus of Syracuse University, George received a Bachelor's Degree in Journalism and earned his Master's of Public Administration from Syracuse's Maxwell School in 1975, where he often said his commitment to public service was borne. In 2000, he was honored to be awarded the Salzberg Medallion by the Syracuse University Business School for his leadership in the transportation industry. George was an avid fan of the New York Rangers, New York Jets and New York Yankees and was always quick to show his devotion to hockey by revealing the Rangers tattoo on his arm. Life for George was all about making a difference, but he didn't have to look any further than his own family to know that he has forever changed our lives by sharing his many gifts with us. George is survived by his beloved wife, Hope; his son, David; his stepdaughters, Brittany and Kendall Wood; his brother, Marc; sister-in-law, Mona; nieces, Jennifer and Michelle; his parents-in-law, James and Jane Hudson; his special buddy, Craig Slebzak; his former wife, Angela Warrington; and many loving relatives, friends and colleagues. Funeral services will be held on Saturday, December 29 at 12 Noon . at St. Luke Parish, 265 West Mill Road, Long Valley, NJ. Interment will follow at Hilltop Cemetery in Mendham. Arrangements by the Bailey Funeral Home of Mendham, 973-543-4720. Visitation will be held on Friday, December 28 from 1 to 8 p.m. at St. Luke Parish. Donations may be made in George's memory to "The Lustgarten Foundation for Pancreatic Cancer Research," 1111 Stewart Avenue, Bethpage, NY 11714 www.lustgarten.org. The Warrington family wishes to express their profound gratitude to all of our friends and colleagues for your support, remembrance and love.