Passenger Trains > Sir Richard Branson... For the Amtrak Board

Sir Richard Branson... For the Amtrak Board

When observing Sir Richard Branson in the print media, on TV, at a press conference, or in person, what have you noticed?  He's ALWAYS positive.  Smiling, engaging, discussing good news, a good listener, he always has something positive to say - he is enthusiastic and interested in your opinion as well.  A total winner, he is the consumate people person and no wonder... Branson has been successful all of his life.   

Wouldn't it be cool if Sir Richard Branson was a part of the Amtrak Board?  Wouldn't it be cool if Amtrak attracted positive, open-minded, thought provoking executives like him to help permanently resolve critical issues?

The article below shows that not long after he arrived on the scene in Florida, he took charge of the situation, brought in necessary funding and upgraded the image of the Brightline operation:
Sir Richard Branson-backed Virgin Trains USA locks up funding for Orlando leg
https://www.bizjournals.com/orlando/news/2019/04/04/sir-richard-branson-backed-virgin-trains-usa-locks.html

Wouldn't Sir Richard Branson be a good fit on the Amtrak Board?
Should he be approached to discuss such an opportunity?
Am I the only one that believes he'd be able to recommend some pro-active leadership talent for Amtrak and if so, who should we suggest to get in contact to enquire if their might be an interest to assist Amtrak?



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 05/24/19 15:41 by NYC4096.

He is only going to get into a situation which he has some control over.

Forget Amtrak - just pull for Sir Richard in his current ventures. We still need to see ground broken for the Las Vegas Project.

Sir Richard is not an American citizen. Isn't that a requirement to be on the board?

Richard Branson is a similar business man to Trump, they both try to sell their brand. For Branson, that's Virgin Galactic, Virgin Records, Virgin Trains, etc. I don't exactly see that as qualifying to serve on the Amtrak Board.

The whole board needs an overhaul and Airline Boy with Gardner need to go!

Richard Branson wouldn't give up his tax returns and financial info to get his NJ booze license.

I doubt he would submit to an examination to take a job on the Amtrak board.

Posted from Android

He has always been very positive with his business operations at the Mojave Air & Space Port but I doubt that he would want to sit on a government board even if that was legal.
His connection to Virgin Trains would also probably be a conficlt of interest.
He is one of the most positive people I have ever seen, like most successful business people.

Bill Deaver
Tehachapi, CA

chrsjrcj Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Richard Branson is a similar business man to
> Trump, they both try to sell their brand. For
> Branson, that's Virgin Galactic, Virgin Records,
> Virgin Trains, etc. I don't exactly see that as
> qualifying to serve on the Amtrak Board.

Correct, Branson only owns a minority of his business empire...he sells his name as a brand. And no, he has not always been a "successful", think Virgin America Airlines for one. He has also been "done" for tax evastion. A nice, fun, positive and generious person yes, unlike the other person mentioned in the post.  

anything is preferable to the current board

ProAmtrak Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> The whole board needs an overhaul and Airline Boy
> with Gardner need to go!

Agreed.. And hopefully if Joe "Amtrak" Biden becomes president, things will change at Amtrak...

bluesboyst Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> ProAmtrak Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > The whole board needs an overhaul and Airline
> Boy
> > with Gardner need to go!
>
> Agreed.. And hopefully if Joe "Amtrak" Biden
> becomes president, things will change at Amtrak...

how will biden change things at amtrak?  will biden increase amtrak's funding?  has biden currently run on anything that will  change amtrak for the better?

66

I second this motion!
It would be great to see !

VP Biden seems to be viewed as an Amtrak supporter largely based on his 36 years of near daily riding trains.  And a station named after him.  And the many friends he made at Amtrak over the decades.  But, I don't see any exceptional efforts that suggest a renaissance in rail travel is on the way.

The Obama administration talked a superior game on transportation, and put $10 billion into rebuilding Amtrak's equipment. And talked about $50 billion on corridors.  But there was little follow through, and less money.  Much of which was stolen.

I'm not saying he's a thief or a grifter.  But, I don't see evidence he's a fighter for rail.

We would be having a minor “Renaissance” now if Amtrak had any other CEO in their history besides Anderson. Record funding, the MOST bipartisan support in its history. Close to record ridership. New diners and sleepers on property and promptly put in storage or not used for intentended purposes. Parlour car rebuild cancelled/cars sold. Private cars unwelcome. Employees, passengers, Congress all disgruntled.

Other CEO’s such as Warrington had questionable legacies but they were in response to a hostile Congress at the time.

This should have been to start of the Renaissance. If Biden gets in and does nothing except replaces Chao things will be looking up substantially. Biden definitely won’t zero out any part of the Amtrak budget like Trump has. Anderson will resign in disgust hopefully shortly after Election Day.

Flyer92122 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> We would be having a minor “Renaissance” now
> if Amtrak had any other CEO in their history
> besides Anderson. Record funding, the MOST
> bipartisan support in its history. Close to record
> ridership. New diners and sleepers on property and
> promptly put in storage or not used for
> intentended purposes. Parlour car rebuild
> cancelled/cars sold. Private cars unwelcome.
> Employees, passengers, Congress all disgruntled.
>
> Other CEO’s such as Warrington had questionable
> legacies but they were in response to a hostile
> Congress at the time.
>
> This should have been to start of the Renaissance.
> If Biden gets in and does nothing except replaces
> Chao things will be looking up substantially.
> Biden definitely won’t zero out any part of the
> Amtrak budget like Trump has. Anderson will resign
> in disgust hopefully shortly after Election Day.

I hope Moran's Board holds stay in effect until Nov 2020. That may be his intention. He would also like to hold the Senate and to do so, protect Senator Gardner, who could be in re-election trouble. 

goneon66 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> bluesboyst Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > ProAmtrak Wrote:
> >
> --------------------------------------------------
>
> > -----
> > > The whole board needs an overhaul and Airline
> > Boy
> > > with Gardner need to go!
> >
> > Agreed.. And hopefully if Joe "Amtrak" Biden
> > becomes president, things will change at
> Amtrak...
>
> how will biden change things at amtrak?  will
> biden increase amtrak's funding?  has biden
> currently run on anything that will  change
> amtrak for the better?
>
> 66

Has any so called Pro Amtrak President help improve Amtrak? It's been the same mumbo jumbo bull crap even when Clinton got in and everyone was hoping Amtrak was gonna do better than it did then, and then it was doing awesome until the rug got pulled from under them in the mid 90s!

Warrington nearly ran Amtrak into bankruptcy. Roger Lewis didn't know what he was supposed to do.
Anderson is one of the most destructive, DELIBERATELY running the LD service into the ground to claim secular decline.

don't we have the technology to clone Claytor's DNA by now?

They don't make that kind of executive anymore.

Posted from Android

goneon66 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> bluesboyst Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > ProAmtrak Wrote:
> >
> --------------------------------------------------
>
> > -----
> > > The whole board needs an overhaul and Airline
> > Boy
> > > with Gardner need to go!
> >
> > Agreed.. And hopefully if Joe "Amtrak" Biden
> > becomes president, things will change at
> Amtrak...
>
> how will biden change things at amtrak?  will
> biden increase amtrak's funding?  has biden
> currently run on anything that will  change
> amtrak for the better?
>
> 66
Don't you know Joe Biden is a big Amtrak supporter?   And I am sure he will not be trying to dismantle the National network!!!!!!  That would be better...  Even though Joe may put money for new rail lines it still could go the way on O'bama's vision with the likes of Governor's like Scott, Kasich and Walker....