Coral Gables, Fla.—March 11, 2013—Florida East Coast Industries Inc. (FECI) appointed Donald C. Robinson as President and Chief Operating Officer for All Aboard Florida-Operations LLC (AAF), the country’s first privately-owned intercity passenger rail system that will connect South Florida to Orlando. Additionally, FECI promoted P. Michael Reininger to President and Chief Development Officer for All Aboard Florida.
A former long-time senior executive with The Walt Disney Company, Robinson will focus on developing the operational functions for the passenger rail project, including the procurement of rolling stock and engagement of third-party operators. Reininger will deliver the project’s built environment, including the rail infrastructure; stations; and transit-oriented real estate development. They will jointly define All Aboard Florida’s brand and customer experience.
“We’ve now solidified the executive management team for All Aboard Florida,” said Vincent Signorello, President and Chief Executive Officer, FECI. “Both Don and Mike have successfully developed consumer brands and introduced unique customer experiences to the travel industry. Their partnership will ensure that our intercity passenger rail project sets the new world standard for travel and hospitality.”
All Aboard Florida-Operations LLC (AAF) continues to develop the intercity passenger rail project on Florida’s premier passenger rail corridor that will connect Miami to Orlando with intermediate stations in Fort Lauderdale and West Palm Beach. This rail service will give Floridians and visitors a viable transportation alternative to congested highways and airport terminals. The project will provide a high-quality experience for passengers and will be the first privately owned, operated, and maintained passenger rail system in the United States.
Robinson brings more than 35 years of experience developing, managing and branding complex, multi-faceted hospitality and recreational projects throughout the world. He ran hotel operations for the entire Walt Disney World Resort in Orlando. He was ALSO instrumental in the opening of Disneyland Paris and led the development and opening of Hong Kong Disneyland. Robinson most recently served as President of Baha Mar Resorts Ltd., where he oversaw the design, development and construction of a $3.5 billion resort destination located in Nassau, Bahamas. He holds a Bachelor of Science in Microbiology from University of Central Florida. He serves as a Board Member of the Denny’s Corp.
Reininger brings nearly three decades of real estate development and brand management expertise to All Aboard Florida. He served in senior management roles with AECOM, MGM Resorts International, The St. Joe Company and The Walt Disney Company. As managing partner for Union Station Neighborhood Company in Denver, he orchestrated the master planning for the Denver Union Station transit-oriented development project through a public-private partnership structure. That project created one of the country’s largest multimodal transit hubs involving the redevelopment of 30 acres of downtown Denver, including four million square feet of commercial development. Reininger holds a Bachelor of Architecture, Design Specialization from Texas Tech University and executive certifications in resort and hotel master planning, financial engineering and business management from Harvard University School of Design, Harvard Business School, and Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania.
