Henry, who will transition into the role from his current position as Director of Rail Operations at VRE, will be the first COO for the commuter rail service since 2019, when the role was vacated upon Rich Dalton’s appointment as Chief Executive Officer (CEO), a position subsequently held by Dalton until October 2025.
As COO, Henry will serve as a key strategic partner to VRE CEO Katie Choe, with a primary charge of “ensuring operational readiness to increase service in accordance with the recently adopted System Plan 2050.” Working collaboratively with other senior leadership, Henry will be responsible for the delivery of safe and reliable commuter service for all passengers and stakeholders, day-today rail operations, mechanical operations, and promoting and ensuring a positive customer experience. He will also provide oversight and guidance to the departments of Rail Operations and Mechanical Operations.
Henry first joined VRE as Director of Operations in 2010. In this previous role, he was responsible for “ensuring reliable daily operations of rail service, the management of operating contracts, incident response coordination, and partnering with mechanical leadership to align mechanical priorities with operating needs.” Henry also led the customer service teams and operational communications to passengers. In total, Henry brings more than 40 years of experience in providing multi-site operations management and customer support. He holds a bachelor’s degree from the University of Central Florida in Orlando and an MBA from Rollins College.
VRE says it is “poised for a dramatic transformation” over the next several years, with capital projects under way throughout the system that will “improve reliability, enhance the passenger experience, and allow for significant increases in the level of service provided.” The projects are coordinated in conjunction with the Commonwealth of Virginia’s multi-billion-dollar investment into rail infrastructure through the “Transforming Rail in Virginia” initiative. Henry will provide “critical support to liaise across departments and agencies to plan and activate service adjustments throughout the life of these projects, and implement service increases as enabling projects are completed.”
