Created by an Act of Congress in 1921, the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey’s mission is to oversee the creation of vital infrastructure to serve the New York-New Jersey metropolitan region. In addition to being an interstate agency, the Port Authority has uniquely been a financially self-supporting entity for the past 100 years. It does not receive tax revenue from either state but relies primarily on revenue generated from facility operations-tolls from its bridges and tunnels, user fees from the airports and the bus terminals, fares on its rail transit system, and rent from facilities, consumer services, and retail stores.
What are some of the challenges that come with interstate collaboration? What are some lessons learned from the Port Authority’s 100-year history that others can implement?
In this webinar, join Rick Cotton, the Port Authority’s Executive Director, and Kevin J. O’Toole, the Chairman of the Board of Commissioners, to discuss what other states can learn from the Port Authority’s one-of-a-kind interstate collaboration and governance structure.
Speakers:
Rick Cotton, Executive Director, Port Authority of New York and New Jersey
Kevin J. O’Toole, Chairman of the Board of Commissioners, Port Authority of New York and New Jersey
Robert Puentes, President and CEO, Eno Center for Transportation
Watch the Recording:
Rick Cotton became the Executive Director of The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey on August 14, 2017. Prior to joining the Port Authority, since January 2015, Mr. Cotton served as Governor Cuomo’s Special Counsellor for Interagency Initiatives, serving as the point person within the Governor’s office for most of the Governor’s major downstate infrastructure priorities including LaGuardia and JFK Airports, the Moynihan Train Hall and Penn-Farley Complex, the new Tappan Zee Bridge, the expansion of the Javits Center, and the MTA’s Second Avenue Subway project. Mr. Cotton joined the administration following 25 years at NBC Universal, where he held a number of positions beginning in 1989, including 20 years as EVP and General Counsel and four years in London as President and Managing Director of CNBC Europe. He also served as Executive Secretary to the Department at the U.S. Department of Health, Education and Welfare under Secretary Joseph A. Califano, Jr. and Special Assistant for Renewable Energy to Deputy Secretary of Energy John Sawhill at the U.S. Department of Energy. Mr. Cotton received an A.B. from Harvard College and a J.D. from Yale Law School, and served as a law clerk to Justice William J. Brennan, Jr. on the U.S. Supreme Court.
Kevin J. O’Toole was nominated to the Board of Commissioners by Governor Chris Christie. He joined the Board on July 2, 2017. He was elected Chairman of the Board on August 3, 2017.
As the founding and managing partner of O’Toole Scrivo, Kevin O’Toole’s law practice encompasses toxic tort, environmental law, risk management, class actions, complex litigation, and corporate investigations. He is routinely called upon by Fortune 500 companies to obtain cost-effective, early resolution of complex matters and sought out to provide detailed analyses of sophisticated matters, evaluate case preparation, predict outcomes and assist in the development of strategic risk management planning. Kevin has served as both National Coordinating Counsel for corporate clients and operational leader of multi-jurisdictional litigation teams that have been responsible for trying dozens of high profile multi-million dollar matters.
Mr. O’Toole earned his bachelor’s degree in political science and public administration in 1986 from Seton Hall University and his juris doctorate in 1989 from Seton Hall University School of Law.
Mr. O’Toole has had a long and distinguished career in public service at the local and state level in New Jersey. He served on the Cedar Grove Town Council from 1989 to 1996 and as Mayor in 1990, 1993 and 1995. He was first elected to the New Jersey General Assembly in 1995 and served until May 2001. He then served in the State Senate from May 2001 until January 2002. Kevin was elected again to the General Assembly in 2001 and re-elected twice. He was elected to the State Senate in 2007 and re-elected in 2011 and 2013. Kevin retired as a State Senator on July 1, 2017 to begin his term as a Commissioner of the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey.
During his career as both a lawyer and legislator, Kevin has been named the 2015 NJ State Chamber of Commerce Legislator of the Year, Legislator of the Year by the New Jersey Police Benevolent Association, Trailblazer Award recipient by the Asian Pacific Lawyers Association of NJ, honored for Outstanding Contributions to Women and Families presented by Displaced Homemakers Network of NJ, the CLM Professionals of the Year Award Winner for Outside Counsel, and the Lipman-Franks Award winner for State Legislative Service presented by Legal Services of NJ. Kevin is also a Life Member of the Cedar Grove Fire Department, and National Committee Member for the Council on Litigation Management (CLM) and serves on their Product Liability Committee.
