One of the world’s most highly respected ITS industry executives has been appointed the new president of the Econolite Group, one of the leading providers of traffic management equipment and transportation engineering services.
The Econolite Group has announced it has appointed former Iteris CEO Abbas Mohaddes (below right) as its new president and COO. He succeeds David St Amant, who is scheduled to retire at the end of 2016. Mohaddes will work closely with St Amant through December to help ensure a smooth transition of responsibilities. Reporting directly to Econolite’s CEO Mike Doyle, Mohaddes will be responsible for the company’s global operations, including the continued development of strategic partnerships.
During this transition period, Econolite will also begin the process of acquiring CAVita, co-founded in October 2015 by Mohaddes and Dr Peter Sweatman, the founding director of the Michigan Mobility Transformation Center (MTC), and immediate past director of the University of Michigan Transportation Research Institute (UMTRI). CAVita provides world-class advisory services focused on connected and automated vehicle (CAV) technology and business models. The acquisition will further strengthen and expand Econolite’s reach into CAV and Smart City programs.
Mohaddes also has over 30 years of experience in policy and the application of technology in transportation systems, including area-wide traffic management, connected vehicles, traveler information, and multi-modal systems development and freight technology. Mohaddes was the president and CEO of Meyer, Mohaddes Associates Inc. (MMA), an ITS and transportation firm that he co-founded, and which was acquired by Iteris in 1998. Having been appointed president and CEO in 2007, Mohaddes led the transformation of Iteris into a software-based traffic management information technology organization through significant organic growth and a successful acquisition strategy.
Mohaddes is one of the founding members of ITS America; a member of the board of directors for the International Road Federation (IRF); a member of the executive committee of the Transportation Research Board (TRB); a Fellow of the Institute of Transportation Engineers (ITE); a member of the Design/Build Institute of America; and a board member of both the Mineta Transportation Institute and the National Operations Center of Excellence (NOCoE). He has published and presented over 60 articles at industry organizations around the world.
“Members of the Econolite team have collaborated with Abbas for many years on industry topics, through our shared involvement in industry advisory committees. His experience and expertise in the ITS industry is unparalleled,” said Econolite’s CEO Mike Doyle. “His decades of visionary leadership and dedication to driving technological advancements have helped shape what ITS is today, as well as prepare the industry for the connected vehicle and Smart City networks of the future. We are very fortunate to add Abbas to the executive management team.”
Mohaddes commented, “I’m very honored to be part of a passionate and committed team of ITS experts. Econolite’s excellence in helping drive transportation management technologies is only matched by its track record of customer service. I’m excited to join a company that is poised for continued growth and market leadership.”
