Chris Ferguson named central region transit and rail market lead at WSP

Chris Ferguson has been appointed central region transit and rail market lead for WSP USA, an engineering and professional services consultancy. In his new role, Ferguson, based in the firm’s Chicago office, will drive business development and pursuits and strategy, synchronize teaming relationships, lead coordination and communications with clients and partners, and support technical projects.

With a B.S. in Electrical Engineering from the University of Alabama, Ferguson has more than a decade of transit and rail industry expertise, including with Class One freight railroads and projects for transportation agencies such as Metra (Chicago), the Chicago Transit Authority, SunRail (Florida), the Utah Transit Authority, and Rio Metro (New Mexico). He continues to work with various agencies on positive train control implementation as they strive to meet regulatory deadlines. 

“Chris is a strong rail systems manager with a successful track record defining and executing strategy, managing programs and projects, improving process, and engaging stakeholders,” says Julie D’Orazio, senior vice president and WSP’s national market leader for transit and rail. “Chris has exceptional skills in cultivating solutions to highly technical challenges. He does this by proactively seeking the perspectives of stakeholders with widely differing goals and crafting win-win scenarios,” adds Phil Pasterak, vice president and director of WSP’s transit and rail group.

WSP has extensive experience with all forms of mass transit—heavy and light rail, streetcars and people movers, and bus rapid transit. The firm combines knowledge in engineering design and construction-phase services with strategic consulting, land use planning, and program management to provide clients with comprehensive support from inception through operations, with a strong emphasis on making transportation infrastructure truly sustainable. The firm’s experience in transit-oriented development aids clients in fostering the creation of vibrant, livable communities centered on transit. The firm is rail delivery partner to the California High-Speed Rail Authority for a statewide high-speed rail system and is providing engineering support for the Texas Bullet Train between Houston and Dallas. The firm is also contributing to the advancement of rail systems in Seattle; Los Angeles; Minneapolis; Salt Lake City; San Francisco; Chicago; Durham, North Carolina; and Buffalo, New York.

WSP USA is the U.S. operating company of WSP, a global engineering and professional services firms consisting of engineers, planners, technical experts, strategic advisors, and construction management professionals. WSP USA designs solutions in the buildings, transportation, energy, water and environment markets, with more than 7,000 people in 100 offices across the United States. For more information, visit www.wsp.com.