People on the Move: Optibus, HNTB, and More

Optibus, HNTB, and CharterUP recently announced personnel news from their respective companies.

Optibus Promotes Waiching Wong to Global VP Role

Optibus announced the appointment and promotion of Waiching Wong to the post of global vice president of Customer Success.

Waiching joined Optibus in 2022 as director of Customer Success, North America. During her time at Optibus, Waiching has worked closely with the company’s customers across North America.

Waiching has over 15 years of experience in the public transportation industry, starting as a local transportation planner, to advising Fortune 50 companies and the U.S. Department of Transportation, to leading partner success at Uber Transit. She is an alumna of the 2022 American Public Transportation Association’s Executive Leadership program. 

“I look forward to empowering our partners in the public transportation ecosystem - planners, schedulers, providers, operators, agencies - to innovate and meet their challenges. Optibus is here to be a partner to the industry, and as VP of Customer Success, I am privileged to lead a team of transportation professionals, working together to help our customers meet current transit challenges, realize value, and shape their digital transformations,” said Waiching.

Ray Verrelle Joins HNTB as Senior Project Director for Transit & Rail Practice

HNTB announced that Ray Verrelle, PE, has joined the company  as a senior project director and vice president, supporting the firm’s transit and rail practice. 

Verrelle comes to HNTB from Amtrak, where he worked in various capacities for the past 18 years, including most recently serving as Amtrak’s vice president of engineering services. 

In his new role, Verrelle will work alongside clients and project teams to help advance large-scale projects and programs that improve and enhance rail infrastructure. This will include leadership on all aspects of the project lifecycle, from scope development to cost and quality control, and project management. 

“With historic levels of investment going into modernizing our nation’s railroad infrastructure and increasing service frequency and speed, Ray’s expertise, understanding of all aspects of large-scale rail capital programs, railroad operations, and leadership within the railroad industry, will play a vital role in HNTB continuing to provide exceptional service to our clients to help them achieve success on their highest priority and most complex projects, ” said Greg May, eastern U.S. transit and rail leader and senior vice president. 

CharterUP Names Denis Scott as Chief Marketing Officer

CharterUP announced Denis Scott as the company’s chief marketing officer. 

Scott will lead and execute CharterUP’s marketing initiatives to strengthen its brand presence and accelerate growth. 

Scott brings over 20 years of marketing experience with a proven track record leading marketing strategy at successful brands, including Lyft, SurveyMonkey, and OpenTable. His expertise spans marketing specialties, from brand and product to consumer and growth. 

“Joining CharterUP as its Chief Marketing Officer is an exciting opportunity to contribute to the growth and evolution of the company, which is already transforming charter services through innovation and technology,” said Scott. “I look forward to leveraging my experience to solidify CharterUP’s position as the leading marketplace platform and help more people recognize charter travel as a sustainable and efficient mode of transportation.”