Amtrak’s charge to enhance safety for travelers and employees will be led by Ken Hylander, who was named executive vice president and chief safety officer at Amtrak on Tuesday.
Hylander retired from Delta Airlines as the senior vice president of corporate safety, security, and compliance. He also served as senior vice president of safety and engineering and chief safety officer at Northwest and served as chairman of the Flight Safety Foundation (FSF) Board.
In his new role, Hylander will report directly to Amtrak President and CEO Richard Anderson.
“We are improving safety at Amtrak,” Anderson said. “Keeping our customers and employees safe is our most important responsibility, and a high-quality safety management system (SMS) is a requirement for Amtrak. Ken is a recognized leader in the implementation and operation of SMS, and his experience will be instrumental in helping build our safety culture.”
Implementation of the SMS program was recommended by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), and Amtrak has embraced the recommendation.
“We are thrilled that Ken has been named chief safety officer at Amtrak,” FSF President and CEO Jon Beatty. “Ken is a consummate professional and is the right person for the job. We wish him well in his new endeavor and stand ready to offer any support he may need.”