Leadership
P. Mike Reininger, Brightline Holdings, Chief Executive Officer
Mike is responsible for overseeing all aspects of Brightline Holdings rail projects, including Brightline West’s (BLW) development, design, and financing. From 2012 to 2018, he served as Brightline Holdings' president, leading all efforts to launch its Phase I system from Miami to West Palm Beach. Under his leadership, Brightline modernized an existing rail corridor, built five new stations, and introduced a fleet of first-of-their-kind trainsets. Mike rejoined Brightline Holdings as CEO in 2021 to oversee the company's next phase of growth. Mike has more than three decades of experience in developing major projects and the start-up of unique companies. He was also the Managing Director of the Union Station Neighborhood Company, where he led the effort to transform Denver's Union Station and its downtown railyard into a modern multimodal transportation hub. He has also served as Executive Vice President and Chief Development Officer for AECOM. Mike holds a Bachelor of Architecture, Design Specialization from Texas Tech University and executive certifications in resort and hotel master planning, financial engineering and business management from Harvard University School of Design, Harvard Business School, and Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania.
Sarah Watterson, Brightline West, President
Sarah is responsible for overseeing all aspects of the BLW high-speed rail project including development, design, and financing. Prior to her BLW role, Sarah was the Head of Development for Brightline Florida's parent company, Florida East Coast Industries (FECI), where she oversaw the development and asset management for over 10 million square feet of transit oriented and industrial development. Prior to that role, Sarah was the CEO of a publicly traded golf and entertainment company, Drive Shack, which owned and/or operated more than 75 golf courses, including many Los Angeles County and City of Long Beach public golf courses. Prior to serving in this position, Sarah helped lead the acquisition, ownership syndication and restructuring of the National Basketball Association’s Milwaukee Bucks for Fortress Investment Group owner Wes Edens. In this role, Sarah worked on the development of a $550 million arena complex completed through a private-public partnership. Prior to her time in Milwaukee, she was on the Private Equity team at Fortress Investment Group. Sarah began her career at Goldman Sachs in the Sales & Trading Division. Sarah graduated summa cum laude from Cornell University with a Bachelor of Science degree in Applied Economics and Management.
Jeff Swiatek, Chief Financial Officer
Jeff has served as Chief Financial Officer since June 2018. He oversees the financial aspects of the development and operations of the Company. Prior to joining the Company, Jeff served in various senior roles at American International Group, Inc. (‘‘AIG’’), a multinational finance and insurance corporation, from 2002 to 2018. Prior to AIG, he worked in the investment banking department of Goldman Sachs Group, Inc., a multinational investment bank and financial services company, from 1998 to 2001. Mr. Swiatek has more than 25 years of experience in international corporate finance and strategy. He holds a Bachelor of Arts in Economics and Asian Studies from Dartmouth College and also holds a Master of Business Administration degree from the University of Chicago Booth School of Business.
Kolleen Cobb, General Council
Kolleen is responsible for all legal affairs of Brightline West. Ms. Cobb focuses on corporate governance, development projects, land and asset sales and acquisitions, financing, commercial leases, and joint venture transactions and the preparation of service agreements for the development, management and brokerage divisions. Prior to joining Florida East Coast Industries in 2000, Kolleen was with Hughes Hubbard & Reed LLP, a New York-based law firm, where she provided legal advice relating to the acquisition, disposition, leasing, and financing of commercial real property and joint venture transactions, including public/private transactions. Kolleen earned her Bachelor of Science in Accounting, Masters of Accounting, and Juris Doctor from the University of Florida.
Adrian Share, PE, Executive Vice President, Engineering and Planning
Adrian is a 32-year leading rail transportation industry veteran and a 8+ year veteran at Brightline, where he oversaw the engineering, construction management, and final delivery of Brightline Florida Phase I, and the engineering and environmental work of Phase 2 for rail infrastructure for the Miami to Orlando project. At BLW, Adrian leads the planning and engineering of the rail infrastructure, facilities, and systems, and oversees the implementation and regulatory approval of the rolling stock. He previously served as Florida District Leader and Program Manager at HNTB Corporation, an architecture, civil engineering consulting and construction management firm, from 2010 to 2015. Adrian also served as the Florida High-Speed Rail Project Manager from 2008 to 2011. Mr. Share holds a Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering from Tulane University and a Master of Business Administration from Northeastern University. He is a Professional Engineer in Florida and previously served as the Chair of the Transportation Committee of the Florida Institute of Consulting Engineers.
Joe Dooley, Executive Vice President, Infrastructure Construction
Joe is responsible for the development and infrastructure construction initiatives for the Brightline West team. As an accomplished construction executive with over two decades of experience in the transportation and infrastructure sectors, he brings a wealth of knowledge to his role. Previously, Joe was a Senior Vice President – Regional Manager at Sundt Construction, where he was responsible for Transportation/Infrastructure operations across Texas and the Southeast. He directly oversaw 125 employees and more than 350 personnel, leading the organization to experience consistent revenue growth and year-over-year success. Prior to Sundt, Joe served as the Vice President – Southeast Regional Manager at Granite Construction Company. In this role, he oversaw project execution, business development, personnel development, and financial responsibility. His extensive project experience at Granite includes serving as Project Executive for the 35E Managed Lane Project and contributing to the DART Cotton Belt commuter rail project. Joe earned his Bachelor of Science in Construction Management from the University of Cincinnati.
Tom Rutkowski, Chief Mechanical Officer
Tom has served as Chief Mechanical Officer since November 2014. He was responsible for the design and delivery of our rolling stock fleet for the Florida passenger rail system, as well as the design and delivery of the West Palm Beach and Orlando vehicle maintenance facilities. Prior to joining the Company, Tom served for 17 years at the New Jersey Transit Corporation (NJ Transit), the state-owned public transportation system that serves New Jersey along with portions of New York and Pennsylvania, most recently in the position of General Superintendent – Equipment from August 2007 to November 2014. Tom has extensive experience in train maintenance and design as well as facility operations and design.