CONTACT:
Brian Fritsch; Regional Plan Association — [email protected], 319-432-8503
RPA announced that the Executive Committee of its Board of Directors has unanimously elected Ray McGuire, RPA’s Chairman of the Board
McGuire brings decades of experience in the financial and nonprofit sectors to the role; joins RPA as the nonprofit pursues key priorities including building a modern regional transportation system, more affordable housing, and adapting the region to climate change
Succeeds RXR CEO Scott Rechler, whose tenure included RPA’s release of the Fourth Regional Plan and helping lead the organization during a post-pandemic moment of infrastructural transformation
NEW YORK, NY - Regional Plan Association (RPA) today announced that the Executive Committee of its Board of Directors has unanimously elected Ray McGuire, former Citigroup executive and 2021 New York City mayoral candidate, to succeed RXR CEO Scott Rechler as RPA’s Chairman of the Board. McGuire will be the first person of color to serve as chair, marking a historic decision by the Board.
After six years, Scott Rechler’s tenure as chair of Regional Plan Association will be coming to an end in February. Scott oversaw the successful completion and release of RPA’s Fourth Regional Plan; greatly expanded the organization’s advocacy capabilities and public awareness; and championed the historic passage of congestion pricing, among many other ambitious initiatives under his tenure. He also has helped RPA to diversify its funding with an emphasis on general operating support, allowing the organization to be more nimble and have a greater impact.
Ray McGuire joins RPA with four decades of leadership experience in the financial, civic and cultural worlds. Prior to his candidacy for Mayor of New York City in 2021, McGuire served as Vice Chairman of Citigroup and Chairman of Citi’s Banking, Capital Markets and Advisory business.
“I am deeply humbled to be chosen to serve as board chair of this prestigious, vitally important organization” said Ray McGuire, incoming Chair of Regional Plan Association’s Board of Directors. “For 101 years, RPA has worked to improve the lives of the millions living in the tri-state area through their tireless advocacy and extensive research and policy work. For the past six years, Scott Rechler has helped RPA, and the entire region, navigate one of the most turbulent economic periods we have ever experienced. It is an immense privilege to succeed Scott as chair and I thank him for his service.”
McGuire has extensive experience serving on both corporate and not-for-profit boards, including several major New York institutions including the American Museum of Natural History, the Black Trustee Alliance for Art Museums, the Greentree Foundation, the New York-Presbyterian Hospital, the New York Public Library, the Studio Museum in Harlem, the Whitney Museum of American Art and the WNET Group.
“To successfully navigate the post-pandemic world, we need to replace the playbooks of the past with forward-thinking planning and policies that position our region for a better and brighter future,” said Scott Rechler, outgoing Chair of Regional Plan Association’s Board of Directors and CEO and Chairman of RXR. “There is no other organization better to lead this effort than the RPA. For 100 years, the RPA has approached our challenges with a regional lens which is exactly what’s needed today if we are to restore the public’s faith in our institutions and combat the pernicious effects of NIMBYism. I am grateful for my time as Chair of this esteemed organization, and I’m even more heartened to be passing the baton to one of our region’s great civic and private sector leaders, Ray McGuire.”
“Ray McGuire has the vision, experience, skills and passion to take the helm of RPA. I could not be more honored to have him join us as our board chair,” said Tom Wright, President & CEO of Regional Plan Association. “Ray’s experience and guidance will be invaluable to the organization as we continue to advocate for the funding of capital projects such as the Gateway Tunnel Project and Interborough Express; land use reforms to promote housing opportunity in every community; and resiliency measures like Renewable Rikers. We also sincerely thank Scott Rechler for his six extraordinary years of service as chair, leading us through both the Fourth Regional Plan and the pandemic. RPA would not be where it is today without his leadership.”
Before joining Citi, McGuire was the Global Co-Head of Mergers & Acquisitions at Morgan Stanley; Managing Director in the Mergers and Acquisitions Group of Merrill Lynch & Co., Inc.; and one of the original members of Wasserstein Perella & Co., Inc. where he became a Partner/Managing Director in 1991. He started his career in 1984 in the Mergers & Acquisitions Group of The First Boston Corporation. McGuire received his M.B.A. and J.D. from Harvard Business School and Harvard Law School (1984), and an A.B., cum laude, from Harvard College (1979).
RPA celebrates its 101st anniversary this year, continuing its advocacy and research work towards the ultimate goal of providing the residents of the 31-county Tri-State area with affordable and safe places to live, economic and environmental justice, and transportation infrastructure improvements that will keep the region a vibrant and attractive destination for generations to come.
About Regional Plan Association
Regional Plan Association (RPA) is an independent non-profit organization that conducts research, planning and advocacy to expand economic opportunity, environmental resiliency, improved health, and better quality of life in the New York metropolitan area. Since the 1920s, RPA has produced four landmark plans for the region. The most recent was released in November 2017. For more information, please visit rpa.org.
