WSP | Parsons Brinckerhoff has appointed Michael S. Venter an Assistant Vice President and Senior Engineering Manager in its New York City office.
In his new position, Venter will be responsible for providing project management and technical expertise related to rail systems for subways, commuter rail, light rail and APMs (automated people-movers).
Venter has more than 25 years of experience in transit systems, including transit planning, procurement, program management, design, installation, implementation and testing/commissioning. His expertise with traditional and advanced rail technologies includes signaling, communications, SCADA (supervisory control and data acquisition) systems, vehicles and power distribution/electrification systems. He has overseen the design of a variety of automated control systems.
Prior to joining WSP | Parsons Brinckerhoff, Venter was Associate Vice President and Director of NY Metro Transit Systems for HNTB in New York City, where he was responsible for the design of MTA Metro-North Railroad’s communications systems, including network upgrades, public address, video information systems, closed-circuit television, intercom, access control, elevator and escalator management systems, and methods to provide real-time information to passengers. This role included the design of the head-end control systems and software as well as design at individual sites. Venter also served as Task Manager for MTA New York City Transit’s Joralemon Tube Refurbishment and for CCTV and intrusion detection systems in NYCT yards and shops.
Prior to HNTB, Venter was an Associate Vice President at AECOM, where among other projects he was Contract Package Manager for Track and Systems on the Second Avenue Subway Project for MTA Capital Construction. Prior to HNTB, he was a Senior Consultant at Booz Allen Hamilton, where he provided DBOM (Design Build Operate Maintain) consulting services for the P3 Project in Houston, Tex.
Venter also spent 12 years at Kimley-Horn and Associates Inc., where as a Vice President and Associate he was responsible for APM and transit system projects nationwide.
A licensed professional engineer in New York and Florida, Venter earned a bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering from Rochester Institute of Technology.