Christopher O. Ward
Encyclopedia
Christopher Owen Ward is an American
civil servant who currently serves as Executive Director of the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey
.
, the son of Barbara Carnes Ward and John William Ward
, a Professor of English and History at Princeton University
who later served as President of Amherst College
. He attended Macalester College
in Saint Paul, Minnesota
, earning a B.A.
degree in 1976. He worked on an oil rig in the Gulf of Mexico
before attending Harvard Divinity School
, where he received a Master of Theological Studies
.He is married to Pamela Cook. They have two children, Katherine and John.
Ward worked at the New York City Department of Consumer Affairs
as Director of Research from 1982 to 1988. From 1988 to 1992, he was an Assistant Commissioner for the New York City Department of Telecommunications and Energy. He was Senior Vice President for Transportation and Commerce at the New York City Economic Development Corporation
from 1992 to 1996.
Ward then worked in the private sector as Director of Business Development of American Stevedoring, Inc. from 1996 to 1997. From 1997 to 2002, he was Chief of Planning and External Affairs and Director of Port Development for the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey
. He then served as Commissioner of the New York City Department of Environmental Protection
from 2002 to 2005.
Ward returned to the private sector, as CEO of American Stevedoring from 2005 to 2006, and then as Managing Director of the General Contractors Association of New York, Inc. (GCA). After New York Governor David Paterson
recommended Ward to become Executive Director of the Port Authority, he was appointed to the position on May 22, 2008.
Ward is charged with overseeing the planned expansion of Pennsylvania Station
to the James Farley Post Office
, which will be named Moynihan Station. He attracted attention in July 2008 when he announced that construction at the World Trade Center site
would run longer and cost significantly more than previously promised. He is also a survivor of the 9/11 Attacks. Ward was in building 5 when Tower 1 collapsed and was later rescued.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
civil servant who currently serves as Executive Director of the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey
Port Authority of New York and New Jersey
The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey is a bi-state port district, established in 1921 through an interstate compact, that runs most of the regional transportation infrastructure, including the bridges, tunnels, airports, and seaports, within the Port of New York and New Jersey...
.
Biography
Ward was born in Princeton, New JerseyPrinceton, New Jersey
Princeton is a community located in Mercer County, New Jersey, United States. It is best known as the location of Princeton University, which has been sited in the community since 1756...
, the son of Barbara Carnes Ward and John William Ward
John William Ward (professor)
John William Ward , was a Professor of English and History at Princeton University from 1952 to 1964 and a Professor of History and American Studies at Amherst College from 1964 to 1971. In 1971, Ward became the fourteenth President of Amherst College, a position he held until 1979...
, a Professor of English and History at Princeton University
Princeton University
Princeton University is a private research university located in Princeton, New Jersey, United States. The school is one of the eight universities of the Ivy League, and is one of the nine Colonial Colleges founded before the American Revolution....
who later served as President of Amherst College
Amherst College
Amherst College is a private liberal arts college located in Amherst, Massachusetts, United States. Amherst is an exclusively undergraduate four-year institution and enrolled 1,744 students in the fall of 2009...
. He attended Macalester College
Macalester College
Macalester College is a private, coeducational liberal arts college located in Saint Paul, Minnesota. It was founded in 1874 as a Presbyterian-affiliated but nonsectarian college. Its first class entered September 15, 1885. The college is located on a campus in a historic residential neighborhood...
in Saint Paul, Minnesota
Saint Paul, Minnesota
Saint Paul is the capital and second-most populous city of the U.S. state of Minnesota. The city lies mostly on the east bank of the Mississippi River in the area surrounding its point of confluence with the Minnesota River, and adjoins Minneapolis, the state's largest city...
, earning a B.A.
Bachelor of Arts
A Bachelor of Arts , from the Latin artium baccalaureus, is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate course or program in either the liberal arts, the sciences, or both...
degree in 1976. He worked on an oil rig in the Gulf of Mexico
Gulf of Mexico
The Gulf of Mexico is a partially landlocked ocean basin largely surrounded by the North American continent and the island of Cuba. It is bounded on the northeast, north and northwest by the Gulf Coast of the United States, on the southwest and south by Mexico, and on the southeast by Cuba. In...
before attending Harvard Divinity School
Harvard Divinity School
Harvard Divinity School is one of the constituent schools of Harvard University, located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, in the United States. The School's mission is to train and educate its students either in the academic study of religion, or for the practice of a religious ministry or other public...
, where he received a Master of Theological Studies
Master of Theological Studies
A Master of Theological Studies is a general academic degree that gives students an introduction to advanced theological studies. The M.T.S usually requires two years of program study to complete. The Latin equivalent for M.T.S...
.He is married to Pamela Cook. They have two children, Katherine and John.
Ward worked at the New York City Department of Consumer Affairs
New York City Department of Consumer Affairs
The New York City Department of Consumer Affairs is a department of the Government of New York City responsible for enforcing the city's consumer protection laws, licensing businesses, dealing with consumer complaints, and participating in consumer education...
as Director of Research from 1982 to 1988. From 1988 to 1992, he was an Assistant Commissioner for the New York City Department of Telecommunications and Energy. He was Senior Vice President for Transportation and Commerce at the New York City Economic Development Corporation
New York City Economic Development Corporation
New York City Economic Development Corporation is a non-profit local development corporation that promotes economic growth across New York City's five boroughs. It is the City's official Economic development corporation, charged with using the City's assets to drive growth, create jobs, and...
from 1992 to 1996.
Ward then worked in the private sector as Director of Business Development of American Stevedoring, Inc. from 1996 to 1997. From 1997 to 2002, he was Chief of Planning and External Affairs and Director of Port Development for the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey
Port Authority of New York and New Jersey
The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey is a bi-state port district, established in 1921 through an interstate compact, that runs most of the regional transportation infrastructure, including the bridges, tunnels, airports, and seaports, within the Port of New York and New Jersey...
. He then served as Commissioner of the New York City Department of Environmental Protection
New York City Department of Environmental Protection
The New York City Department of Environmental Protection is a City agency of nearly 6,000 employees that manages and conserves the City’s water supply; distributes more than one billion gallons of clean drinking water each day to nine million New Yorkers and collects wastewater through a vast...
from 2002 to 2005.
Ward returned to the private sector, as CEO of American Stevedoring from 2005 to 2006, and then as Managing Director of the General Contractors Association of New York, Inc. (GCA). After New York Governor David Paterson
David Paterson
David Alexander Paterson is an American politician who served as the 55th Governor of New York, from 2008 to 2010. During his tenure he was the first governor of New York of African American heritage and also the second legally blind governor of any U.S. state after Bob C. Riley, who was Acting...
recommended Ward to become Executive Director of the Port Authority, he was appointed to the position on May 22, 2008.
Ward is charged with overseeing the planned expansion of Pennsylvania Station
Pennsylvania Station (New York City)
Pennsylvania Station—commonly known as Penn Station—is the major intercity train station and a major commuter rail hub in New York City. It is one of the busiest rail stations in the world, and a hub for inbound and outbound railroad traffic in New York City. The New York City Subway system also...
to the James Farley Post Office
James Farley Post Office
The James A. Farley Post Office Building is the main post office building in New York City. Its ZIP code designation is 10001. Built in 1912, the building is famous for bearing the inscription: Neither snow nor rain nor heat nor gloom of night stays these couriers from the swift completion of...
, which will be named Moynihan Station. He attracted attention in July 2008 when he announced that construction at the World Trade Center site
World Trade Center site
The World Trade Center site , also known as "Ground Zero" after the September 11 attacks, sits on in Lower Manhattan in New York City...
would run longer and cost significantly more than previously promised. He is also a survivor of the 9/11 Attacks. Ward was in building 5 when Tower 1 collapsed and was later rescued.
External links
- Official biography, Port Authority of New York and New JerseyPort Authority of New York and New JerseyThe Port Authority of New York and New Jersey is a bi-state port district, established in 1921 through an interstate compact, that runs most of the regional transportation infrastructure, including the bridges, tunnels, airports, and seaports, within the Port of New York and New Jersey...