President Barack Obama designated Francis P. Mulvey as acting chairman of the Surface Transportation Board, succeeding former Board Chairman Charles D. Nottingham.

"I am honored to receive this designation by President Obama, and I look forward to serving the Board and the public in this capacity. I believe that my long record of public service, especially in the transportation area, qualifies me for the work ahead,” said Mulvey.

Appointed by former President George W. Bush, Mulvey was in the middle of his second four-year term on the Board.

Prior to joining the STB, Mulvey was staff director, Railroad Subcommittee, and staff director, pipelines and hazardous materials, for the Subcommittee on Highways and Transit, House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure. In those positions, he was responsible for all railroad legislative matters for the Ranking Democratic Member of the Committee and served as advisor to the Ranking Member on overall transportation-policy issues.

Other positions held by the Acting Chairman were deputy assistant inspector general for rail, transit and special programs, Office of the Inspector General, U.S. Department of Transportation; assistant director for social security and pension Issues at the former U.S. General Accounting Office; assistant director for competition, economic and regulatory analyses in the transportation issues area, U.S. General Accounting Office; director of economic research for the New York State Legislative Commission on Solid Waste Management; programs manager, transportation research board, at the National Academy of Sciences; and vice president for research at the American Bus Association.