On Monday, The Northern Indiana Commuter Transportation District hired the executive director of the South Florida Regional Transportation Authority as its next president.
David Dech will succeed Michael Noland as the top executive at NICTD, operator of the South Shore Line commuter railroad, on March 16, bringing the native Ohioan back to the region where he began his career.
After the NICTD Board Trustees confirmed Dech’s appointment he said, "I spent 23 years with CSX, and this is really a full-circle moment for me. When I started on the railroad 30 years ago, I used to take trains through Miller and Gary, going into Chicago with CSX as an engineer and conductor."
Since 2022, Dech has led SFRTA It is the owner and operator of Tri-Rail, the commuter railroad serving Palm Beach, Broward and Miami-Dade counties. He previously worked at Capital Metro in Austin, Texas, also a commuter railroad — though he noted he'll need to adapt to an electric railroad, having worked at diesel-powered ones before. Dech will become NICTD's third leader since its founding in 19777.
Noland is retiring after a decade highlighted by the Double Track project that recapitalized the line between Gary and Michigan City and the West Lake Corridor project that is extending it 8 miles southward through Hammond and Munster.
"I'll have the confidence to sleep at night knowing that the railroad's in great hands, and there's exciting things that are coming," Noland said.
Dech said he's excited to join NICTD at a time when the South Shore Line is in good condition and is expanding service.
NICTD board members expressed their appreciation for Noland's service.
