Research Triangle Park, N.C. –  Raleigh business leader Sig Hutchinson has been elected Chair of the Triangle Transit Authority Board of Trustees.  Hutchinson, appointed by the Raleigh City Council, will serve through October 2008.

Hutchinson is President of Sig Hutchinson & Associates, specializing in public speaking, consulting and coaching.  Mr. Hutchinson has played a leadership role in promoting environmental, recreational, transportation and land use issues across the Triangle. He has helped successfully lead four bond referendums totaling $140 million dollars for open space preservation, parks and greenways since 2000.

“I look forward to leading the Triangle Transit Authority Board as we enter a critical time in our history. Over the next twelve months, political, business and community leaders will be meeting to discuss transportation and land use issues that will that will greatly influence the future of the Triangle. This includes the Special Transit Advisory Commission currently meeting with the objective of making recommendations to the Region’s two metropolitan planning organizations on major transit investments,” said Hutchinson. “To continue our current quality of life, transit must play a key role in our future.  If we make good decisions, we can create a first 21st Century region that, while doubling in size, will still maintain our great quality of life.”

Other newly-elected officers of the Board of Trustees include Bill Strom, Vice Chair.  Strom serves as Mayor Pro Tem for the Town of Chapel Hill and has a long record of public service in Orange County.  Strom is also TTA’s representative to the Durham-Chapel Hill-Carrboro Metropolitan Planning Organization (DCHC MPO). 

Ellen Reckhow will serve as TTA Secretary.  Reckhow is Chair of the Durham County Board of Commissioners, a member of the DCHC MPO and serves on a number of local, regional, and statewide boards and commissions.

Jeff Merritt is TTA’s Treasurer.  Appointed by the Wake County Commission in 2006, Merritt is Business Development Director with Clancy & Theys Construction Company of Raleigh.  Prior to joining Clancy & Theys, Merritt served as KB Home’s Eastern Regional Director for Government and Public Affairs and was Vice President of Government and Community Affairs for the Greater Raleigh Chamber of Commerce.    

TTA is a regional public transportation provider, offering a variety of transit and vanpool services to North Carolina's greater Triangle Region and outlying counties. Regional bus service is available to Apex, Cary, Chapel Hill, Durham, Garner, Hillsborough, RDU International Airport, Research Triangle Park (RTP) and Raleigh.

Triangle Transit also provides commuter resources and hosts www.rideTTA.org and www.GoTriangle.org, on-line resources for public transportation information in the Triangle.