Sander, Former M.T.A. Chief, to Chair Regional Plan Association

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cover 7 0 Sander, Former M.T.A. Chief, to Chair Regional Plan AssociationLee Sander is back in the advocacy world.

Executive director of the M.T.A. between 2007 and mid-2009, Mr. Sander Thursday was elected chairman of the Regional Plan Association, the prominent advocacy organization that pushes for greater transit investment and rational urban planning.

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Mr. Sander, pushed from his M.T.A. job amid a restructuring by Governor Paterson, with whom he never had a close relationship (Governor Spitzer appointed Mr. Sander), used to work closely with RPA. Mr. Sander, now an executive at AECOM, was co-founder of the Empire State Transportation Alliance, along with RPA president Bob Yaro.  

RPA’s board is a collection of planners, architects and former government officials. Among others: Paul Francis, Mr. Spitzer’s chief of operations; Pat Foye, former chairman of the Empire State Development Corp. under Mr. Spitzer; and Charlie Maikish, head of the Lower Manhattan Construction and Command Center.

ebrown@observer.com