The U.S. General Services Administration (GSA) appointed Mortimer L. Downey to serve as director and Marcel C. Acosta to serve as alternate director of the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (Metro) board of directors for four-year terms.

Under federal law (P.L.110-432) and the Metro compact, the GSA Administrator has the authority to appoint two directors and two alternative directors to the Metro board.

The Metro board of directors determines agency policy and provides oversight for the funding, operation and expansion of transit facilities. Once federal appointments are complete, the board of directors will be composed of eight voting and eight alternate directors. Maryland, the District of Columbia, Virginia and the federal government appoint two voting and two alternate directors each.

Downey, who has more than 50 years of experience in the operations and management of major public transportation authorities, has been involved with the Metro system for more than 30 years, helping to complete and fund the system as both a government official and an industry expert.

Having previously served as the deputy secretary of the U.S. Department of Transportation and as executive director of the New York City Metropolitan Transit Authority, the nation's largest transit system, Downey has run and overseen efficient and accountable transit programs across the nation. As a resident of Northern Virginia, Downey has been a rider of the Metro system for more than 20 years.

As executive director for National Capital Planning Commission, Acosta has extensive knowledge of the D.C. area. Prior to joining NCPC, Acosta served as an executive of the Chicago Transit Authority, the nation's second largest transit system, where he successfully oversaw initiatives to reduce operating costs of the bus and rail systems and to increase system ridership.

Acosta is also a resident of the District of Columbia and rides the Metro to work every day.