MTA Chairman/CEO Tom Prendergast announced he will retire from public service in early 2017. Prendergast’s career with the MTA has spanned more than 25 years. He previously served as president of NYC Transit, president of the Long Island Railroad, and as MTA Chairman and CEO since June of 2013. Prendergast oversaw the Second Avenue Subway development since Governor Andrew Cuomo appointed him as chairman in 2013.

Statement from Governor Andrew M. Cuomo:

"Tom Prendergast has overseen the reimagining and modernization of the MTA and will be remembered for improving the commute, and the lives, of millions of New Yorkers who depend on our mass transit system.

"The on-time completion of the Second Avenue Subway would have been impossible without Tom's leadership and relentless commitment to meeting the goal and is an incredible way to end his long and successful career.

"Tom has been an incredibly effective chairman and CEO and among the finest public servants I have had the privilege of working with. I thank him for his hard work and dedication to the people of New York, and wish him and his family the best on this exciting new chapter."

Statement From MTA Chairman/CEO Tom Prendergast:

“It has truly been a privilege to have a hands-on Governor who is so invested in the MTA — both in supporting the largest Capital Program this agency has ever seen and by working so closely with us not only to fund it, but to implement that investment wisely.

“Opening the Second Avenue Subway this weekend was a crowning achievement for the MTA and I'm proud to have been a part of such a historic moment. It has not only changed the daily commute for hundreds of thousands of customers, it has helped change the face of the MTA — showing the public we can meet the deadlines we set for ourselves.

“I'm also proud of the work we have done to integrate new technology into all aspects of our system to keep up with the growing needs of our riding public and of the way we recovered and fortified our assets from the devastating damage left behind by Hurricane Sandy.

“It's never easy to leave an organization after 25 years of service, but I do so knowing that the MTA will continue to serve the public so well and that our Governor will ensure New York continues to have the most robust transportation system in the country.”