Amtrak names former Delta chief Anderson as next CEO

June 26 (UPI) -- Amtrak on Monday announced that it has chosen longtime aviation executive Richard Anderson as its new chief executive.

Anderson, who previously served as the CEO of Delta Air Lines, will serve with current Amtrak chief Wick Moorman through the end of the year until Moorman leaves the post to become a company adviser.

"Richard brings to Amtrak his experience running one of the largest global commercial air carriers," Amtrak said in a statement Monday. "He is the right leader at the right time to drive the quality of customer service that our passengers, partners and stakeholders expect."

Moorman became Amtrak's "transitional" CEO last summer.

"It is an honor to join Amtrak at a time when passenger rail service is growing in importance in America," Anderson said. "Amtrak is a great company today, and I'm excited about using my experience and working with the board to make it even better."

Anderson, 62, was Delta's CEO from 2007 to last year and served in the same capacity at Northwest Airlines before that. Northwest merged with Delta in 2010. An attorney by trade, Anderson first served in a legal capacity at Continental Airlines. He was also CEO of United Healthcare for three years.

He will join Amtrak on July 12.