George Cleary
Deputy Director
MTA Small Business Mentoring Programs

George is an economist and business strategist with over two decades of experience in business management, consulting and administration. Currently, He is the Deputy Director, Small Business Mentoring Program for the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA). In this role, He is responsible for the marketing, outreach, recruitment, business development, retention and inclusion of small business for participation in the MTA’s Small Business Mentoring programs.

Anthony Gardner
Deputy Director, Procurement Policy
Metro-North Railroad

Anthony Gardner is a procurement professional with 25 years of experience at MTA’s Metro-North Railroad in New York.  Current position as Deputy Director – Procurement Policy, includes the overseeing of professional staff involved interpreting procurement standards & procedures, small business outreach, cost/price analysis, reporting and overall support of all aspects of the Procurement processes.  Additionally, Mr. Gardner has an extensive background in procuring apparatus as well as various professional, construction and general services.

Michael Garner
Chief Diversity Officer
MTA Headquarters

After a long and distinguished career at the New York City School Construction Authority, Michael J. Garner was recruited and appointed as Chief Diversity Officer at the Metropolitan Transportation Authority in New York City.  Mr. Garner is responsible for the development and expansion of Minority, Women, and Disadvantaged Business Enterprise programs; MWDBE Contract Integrity Monitoring functions; Title VI and Equal Employment Opportunities responsibilities; and other existing activities and functions of the Office of Civil Rights. Mr. Garner has a Bachelor of Science from SUNY, College at Buffalo and recently completed his MBA degree at the State University of New York.

Mindy Giberstone
Director, Procurement Operations,
MTA Business Service Center

Mindy Giberstone, CPPB, CPPO Director, Procurement Operations at the MTA Business Service Center, has over 28 years of public procurement experience, including 20 years at MTA Bridges & Tunnels.  In addition to supporting the MTA-wide financials database (which includes purchasing, accounting and vendors/bidders), she is also assisting MTA Bridges & Tunnels with its purchase of goods and commodities.

John Hanna
Assistant Director
MTA Capital Construction

John Hanna is a procurement professional with expertise in the end-to-end procurement process across the various stages of the supply chain, including requirements definition, RFx management, negotiations, contract execution and management, and supplier management. John has been the Assistant Director, Procurement at MTA Capital Construction, New York, since April 2010, where he manages day-to-day activities of several contract administrators, procurement specialists and field procurement managers.

Seth Horowitz
Publisher
ENR Regional Media
McGraw-Hill Construction

Seth Horowitz is publisher of ENR Regional Media for McGraw-Hill Construction. In this role, he is responsible for the leadership, development, strategic direction, and growth of all seven ENR Regional Publications as well as their integration to meet the media needs of customers and prospects, online and in print. Seth has a proven track record of identifying and creating new business opportunities related to new markets, new products, and an expanded customer base which help MHC’s customers and prospects Get Seen, Get Smarter, Find Work, and Do Work.

Richard Mack
Director of Capital Construction Contracts
MTA Long Island Railroad

Mr. Mack has 29 years of professional experience within the fields of procurement & contract Administration, both with the MTA and NJ Transit.   He is currently the Director of Capital Construction Contracts for the MTA Long Island Rail Road.  In this Capacity he is responsible for the management and implementation of a procurement plan that exceeds 500M.

Thomas Prendergast
Interim Executive Director
Metropolitan Transportation Authority

Tapped by New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo to serve as MTA chairman, Prendergast is a veteran of public transit, and served most recently as chief of New York City subways and buses and interim executive director. He earned acclaim as the steady-handed administrator who helped quickly revive the damaged system in the wake of super-storm Sandy last year and now faces the challenge of leading the cash-strapped agency. Mr. Prendergast began his career in 1975 at the Chicago Transit Authority, before moving to Washington and then to New York in 1982 as director of system safety for the New York City Transit Authority.

Gregory Robinson
Director of Contract Administration
MTA Bus Company

Gregory Robinson has served as the Director of Contract Administration for all centrally managed 3rd party contracts for New York City Transit, Department of Buses and MTA Bus Company for the past 12 years.  These include multi-year contract awards such as providing of bus fuel, leasing of bus tires, equipment purchases and all service and construction type related contracts. Overall Gregory has almost 30 years of experience in mass transit procurement and contract administration with the MTA.

William Thompson
Chair
New York State MWBE Task Force

As Comptroller of New York City from 2002 through 2009, Bill Thompson was responsible for managing the finances of the nation's largest municipality and supervised a staff of 700 professionals. He oversaw the city's $100 billion pension fund and made crucial investments in affordable housing for lower- and middle-class families. Bill is Chair of Governor Cuomo's Minority- and Women-Owned Business Enterprise Team, which seeks to promote economic opportunities and eliminate barriers for minority- and women-owned businesses.

Bruce Wagner
Manager, Solicitation Management
MTA NYC Transit

Bruce Wagner, CPPO, CPM, has over 30 years procurement experience, spanning both private and public arenas.  For the last 11 years Bruce has been the Manager, solicitation management for the NYC Transit.  In this role Bruce is responsible for managing the solicitation/bidding process for the Materiel Division.  Bruce holds a BBA in International Business from Baruch College, an MBA in Executive Management from St. John’s University, and two certifications in the field of Procurement.

Brian A. Walsh
Manager, Projects
MTA Bridges & Tunnels

Mr. Walsh has almost 30 years experience in construction management, procurement, accounting and contract administration for the design, inspection and capital construction projects.  His experience has been split between the public sector and private heavy construction contractors working on infrastructure projects for MTA Bridges and Tunnels, MTA New York City Transit and MTA MetroNorth Commuter Railroad, as well as private developers.  This extensive experience provides Mr. Walsh with a unique perspective for the procurement and management of public works contracts.  He oversees MTA B&T's Capital and Major Maintenance Procurement Commitment Plans with B&T's Engineering and Construction Department.