PA January 8, 2021 | Volume 20 | Number 1

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CALENDAR > STAFF NEWS > A Message from the Chairman, Vice IN MEMORIAM > Chairman & Executive Director: IN THIS EDITION Employee Learning Series on “Race, Preparing for the Agency’s Centennial Economics & Transportation” Kicks Off Originally issued to agency staff via PA Broadcast on Tuesday, January 5. Moynihan Train Hall Opens The Port Authority’s first 100 years is inextricable from the story of this great region. Port Authority Mask Giveaways: More Than 1 Million Served Created by an Act of Congress, the Agency came into being April 30, 1921, when the Compact was signed in the Great Hall of the State Chamber of Commerce OSD Staffer Builds Desks for Local Youth Building on Liberty Street. In the shadows of the First World War and the influenza Congratulations to the PAPD’s Newest pandemic of 1918, our founders recognized the need for a bi-state agency that could Promotees transcend parochialism to bring order to the region’s ports. Virtual Holiday Parties from Around Think of their extraordinary vision in creating an agency that could and would grow the Port Authority with the region: One hundred years ago, there was no aviation industry, no mass use of cars and trucks. PATH service, then under the auspices of the Hudson & Manhattan Railroad, was just beginning. The was still in planning stages. The great bridges Watch: PATH were yet to be imagined, designed and built. Airports to connect this region to the globe were yet to be envisioned. 2020 Reflections The infrastructure that allowed this region to become the global engine of commerce & Hope for 2021 and trade that it is today would come — and the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey would build it. The women and men of the Port Authority carried on through The challenges that we as an agency have faced this year have not continued on page 5 > only affected the way that we work, but also the way we interact with our coworkers. Departments throughout the PA, including at PATH, spent End of Year 2020 Letter to Port the holiday season holding virtual gatherings and parties. Authority Staff To wrap up the year and look ahead Originally issued to agency staff via PA to the future, PATH’s Phil Silvestro Broadcast on Thursday, December 31. created a beautiful, heartfelt video As we approach the end of 2020, we reflect on that was played at its virtual holiday the unprecedented challenges the Port Authority gathering. The video captures the ups faced this year and its remarkable ability to and downs of 2020, reflects on better continue to deliver through crisis — all a direct times, and looks ahead with hope for result of you and your dedicated efforts. As our the future. year-end letter makes abundantly clear, you continue to raise the bar on Agency excellence. We wish you all a Happy New Year. We look forward to continuing this exciting journey with you in 2021, the centennial year of our Agency. Kevin J. O’Toole Rick Cotton Chairman Executive Director continued on page x >

PA NEWS | 1 Phone Call PAPD Bi-State Coalition Spreads Attacks & Scams Holiday Cheer to Local Youth On December 23, the Port Authority Police Department Cybersecurity Bi-State Coalition Tip of the Month: came together with

the community in Photo: Christina Paterson Photo: Christina Paterson Harlem to spread Phone Call a little holiday Attacks & Scams cheer. Sergeant Atiba Joseph- When you receive a phone call Cumberbatch, from an unknown source, what do Detective Andre you do? Here are some tips to keep Phillips, Officer Detective Andre Phillips and Officer Shauna Parker and Detective Andre in mind. Shauna Parker, Officer Stephen Green at Round Phillips at Harlem United Family Shelter The Clock Nursery In Harlem • Be very cautious providing and Officer information to callers from Stephen Green greeted families at Round The Clock Nursery and the Harlem United unknown or suspicious phone family shelter and presented gifts that were sure to bring joy for the holiday season. numbers. • Never share agency information via text messages or on a call from unknown numbers. • Be cautious if you're being Employee Learning Series on “Race, pressured to share any information Economics & Transportation” Kicks Off or to make a payment immediately. On December 16, the agency hosted its first virtual session of the new series on • Scammers often spoof phone “Race, Economics and Transportation,” designed to enrich the knowledge of employees numbers to trick you into answering and contractors about race dynamics and its socioeconomic and equity impacts within or responding. Remember that our neighboring communities. government agencies will never call The series was directly inspired by employee feedback from last summer's Listening you to ask for personal information Sessions hosted by the Leadership Steering Committee on Race Dynamics, and will or money. enable agency staffers — including those in public facing, capital allocation, and • Do not click any links in text planning functions — to enhance their support of productive community engagements. messages. If someone you know The inaugural presentation was kicked off on December 16 by Chief Development sends a text with a suspicious or OfficerDerek Utter, who together with PATH Director Clarelle DeGraffe and Chief unknown link, call them to make Security OfficerJohn Bilich served as Leadership Steering Committee advisors to the sure they weren't hacked. employee Action Team that was responsible for designing and launching the new series. If you have any questions or need Session #1, titled “The Truth About Averages and What They Can Mask,” was attended assistance with a cyber-related by more than 250 employees from across the agency. This discussion revealed the incident, immediately contact the reality of even wider disparities in income inequality when some commonly used Cybersecurity Operations Center at economic metrics are further disaggregated by race and ethnicity. 201-216-2880 or [email protected]. Participants engaged with the material, asking questions to better understand the composition and definition of income measures presented. They also inquired into potential limitations of broad categories of race, as well as suggestions for further dimensions of disaggregation within each group. While the majority of the presentation was focused on statistics at the national level, the session also included a high-level overview of the socioeconomic and demographic characteristics of communities surrounding PA facilities. Future sessions will provide regionally focused case studies and feature guest GOT NEWS FOR speakers from other departments as they share lessons learned and exchange best NEXT TIME? practices for community engagement. Do you have news from your team, Mary K. Murphy, Director of Planning & Regional Development Department (PRDD), department or employee group to closed the session by thanking all the members of the Action Team, which included share in the next PA News? Send it colleagues from PRDD, the Office of Diversity & Inclusion, Government & Community to [email protected] Relations and the Office of Continuous Improvement, who worked collaboratively on the by January 15 to be new series. included in the Visit the PA News website to view a recording of the session and the presentation January 22 issue. deck. Video of future sessions will also be shared on the site. For further information on the series, view the Broadcast announcement.

PA NEWS JANUARY 8, 2021 | 2 Now Arriving… More Great Blog Posts IN MEMORIAM In addition to PA News, you can find great in-depth stories about the unsung employees Wayne Ben Ali of the Port Authority, interesting and often obscure agency history, and much more by His friends following the agency blog Now Arriving. at the Port Authority were ’Tis the Season for Port Authority Holiday Cheer saddened to By Alana Calmi learn of the For a region struggling through unprecedented passing of challenges, there’s never been a greater need for holiday Wayne Ben cheer. And the Port Authority has been doing its part to Ali on Sunday, lift the spirits of its travelers, employees and visitors with December 20. an array of sparkling decorations and lights, religious Wayne joined the Port Authority family observances and contributions to the community’s on February 19, 2019 as a Senior Risk neediest. The holiday displays extend across the Port Analyst in the Treasury Department. Authority’s air, land, rail and seaport facilities. Wayne had worked in the insurance Oculus Menorah industry for most of his career. Holland Tunnel Takes a Giant Wayne will be remembered for his (Digital) Leap Forward love of music and martial arts. He played the guitar and piano, as well By Amanda Kwan as alto and baritone saxophones. He All tolls at the Holland Tunnel are now collected amassed a huge collection of CDs electronically under a modern toll system that debuted that included every kind of musical on December 23. The Holland is the first Hudson genre available, but his favorite type of crossing to activate the technology, to be followed music was jazz. Wayne was a former by the and the George Washington student of the Isshin Shorin Ji Ryu Bridge. Once completed, all six Port Authority bridges Okinawa Te system of karate and held and tunnels will be equipped with the modern tolling a 5th-degree black belt. system. Vehicle crashes at the Hudson River toll Wayne is survived by his wife, plazas are expected to decline by 75 percent once all- Gantry installation at the Holland Wanda Martinez, his brother Russell, electronic tolling is fully implemented. Tunnel in July 2020 and his nieces and nephew: Layla, Ulali, and Omar. Our thoughts and deepest Moynihan Train Hall Opens sympathies are with Wayne’s family, friends, and colleagues during this Ending the year on a high note, Moynihan Train Hall — a new, world class transit hub difficult time. — opened its doors on December 30. Through a public-private partnership that included the Port Authority as well as the MTA, , , and other public and private entities, the project transformed the historic, 100-year-old James A. Farley Post Office Building into a modern transportation hub that expands Penn Station’s PAPD Rescue concourse space by 50 percent. “With the magnificent architectural conversion of the historic Farley Post Office into Hawk on PATH a 21st century train station, Moynihan Train Hall will become a New York icon and a destination in itself,” said Executive Director Rick Cotton in a statement. Tracks Despite the challenges posed by the ongoing global pandemic, construction on In the early Moynihan Train Hall continued and the station opened on time, reshaping the busiest morning hours of passenger transportation facility in the western hemisphere. The train hall blends December 18, Port classical and contemporary design and features a one-acre sky-lit atrium, a signature Authority Police clock, full accessibility, and museum-caliber public art. It also provides immediate OfficerJordan benefits at this critical time while profoundly enhancing the convenience, health, and Gonzalez from the daily experience of hundreds of thousands of passengers, neighbors, and visitors. PATH Command responded to a call from a PATH Trainmaster Officer Gonzalez with of a large the rescued hawk bird in distress in the track area of the Exchange Place PATH station. Emergency Service Unit Officers, PATH track maintenance, and Officer Gonzalez were able to safely capture and secure the hawk. Animal Control then picked the bird up from the Journal Square PATH station.

PA NEWS JANUARY 8, 2021 | 3 Port Authority Mask Giveaways: More Than 1 Million Served Originally published in Now Arriving, written by Media Relations’ Scott Ladd. During an afternoon rush hour in mid-July, Port Authority staff set up a string of tables in the South Wing of the Midtown Bus Terminal and started handing out protective face coverings to the hundreds of passengers scurrying by. A few days later, PATH’s Journal Square station followed suit, launching its own mask giveaway for rail commuters. More than a million masks later, the Port Authority has passed a key milestone in its campaign to protect the traveling public. The agency hit the million mark in December after 30-plus distributions at the bus terminal, high-usage PATH stations, and the Bus Station. It’s part of an aggressive, agency-wide approach to mask-wearing, which is required Bus Terminal GM Mark Schaff (left) leads the in all Port Authority airports, bus terminals, PATH, and other facilities. In the months distribution since the start of the pandemic, the PA has increased its commitment to mask promotion and compliance with facility safety guidelines, ahead of the projected surge in positive Covid-19 cases this winter and a new administration intent on making face coverings a national priority. Port Authority airport terminals are equipped with vending machines that dispense face coverings, which were publicized and promoted especially during the holiday season. The PA also has joined with the “Mask Force” initiative, a partnership of regional transportation agencies that includes the MTA and NJ Transit, and Port Authority police officers are providing face coverings to travelers Executive Director Cotton at the World Trade across all facilities. Center PATH “The safety of our customers is our highest priority,” said Port Authority Executive Director Rick Cotton during a press event in November promoting mask usage. “In these challenging times, this program is a reminder of the importance of taking all necessary actions to remain safe into 2021.” To date, the PABT has accounted for the majority of mask giveaways, with 827,500 distributed at the bus terminal since it launched July 20. PATH riders have received 191,125 masks, with 28,125 handed out to customers of the GWBBS. More distribution events are planned for 2021 starting as early as the end of this week. Port Authority policy requires a mask be worn by anyone using an agency facility or station. In November, the agency authorized a $50 fine for any traveler who refuses to PATH mask giveaway at Journal Square comply with that policy and more than 30 summonses have been issued. That’s just one enforcement and educational option now in place to ensure traveler safety. PAPD officers have engaged with customers on more than 50,000 occasions, educating them about the PA’s mask policy and on maintaining a proper social distance for personal protection. Each facility has benefitted from strong organizational efforts in mobilizing successful giveaways. Kirsten Jones of PABT Operations directs the bus terminal program. At PATH, Jessica Mills, a manager in marketing and customer service, oversees the development of in-station distributions. Lisa Herrera, an operations supervisor at the George Washington Bridge, coordinates the mask program at the GWBBS. From left: Bob Gilligan, Judith Roach, and Eneido Garces from the PABT

officer and PAPD Sergeant’s Roots Run Deep four years as Port Authority Police Sergeant with leadership roles in several cultural an Inspector/ Noble Varghese is dedicated to public and church-related organizations. Officer for service, having held several roles in law Sergeant Varghese was born in Kerala, U.S. Customs enforcement even before joining the India and immigrated with his parents and Border PAPD in 2008. But that’s not all he’s to the United States in the early 90s at Protection. committed to. the age of 15. Those who have ethnic ties Since joining Sergeant Varghese is also a leader to Kerala are known as Malayalee. He the PAPD in in several cultural societies — serving attended the College of Staten Island 2008, he’s as Treasurer on the Executive Board of where he received a degree in Electrical been assigned to several commands, American Malayalee Law Enforcement Engineering. Upon graduation, he pursued including Newark Airport, Staten Island United and as Recording Secretary of his dream of becoming a law enforcement Bridges, JFK Airport, and LaGuardia the PAPD Asian Jade Society. Further, he officer. His twenty-year career included Airport. In August 2020, he transferred is an active member of the community four years as a CUNY law enforcement to the World Trade Center command.

PA NEWS JANUARY 8, 2021 | 4 OSD Staffer A Message from the Chairman, Vice Chairman & Executive Director: Preparing for the Builds Desks Agency’s Centennial for Local Youth continued from page 1 > In the spirit of community and the Great Depression, through World War II, the Civil Rights movement, through kindess, Patrick Bek-Gran of the economic booms and burst economic bubbles, through catastrophic storms and the Operations Services Department spent devastation of Sept. 11, 2001. his December building wooden desks As we begin 2021, the Agency is not only building upon its remarkable efforts to designed himself for local children keep our facilities safe and operational as we seek to help drive the region’s recovery in his neighborhood. Knowing the from the COVID-19 pandemic, but also preparing for our Centennial. Like all things challenges of online learning during being planned in 2020 and 2021, the celebrations and events have undergone the ongoing pandemic, Patrick, a cook, revisions. Large in-person gatherings in the early part of this year are not feasible. used his carpentry and furniture- And the dramatic loss of revenues due to the coronavirus pandemic has forced us to making skills to fabricate desks that rethink what is appropriate during lean times. will provide children in his community A committee of volunteers from across the agency has been working for the past with a dedicated workspace to help year to research, conceive and refine ideas for how we should best commemorate them stay focused and organized. this milestone. Because of the pandemic, some activities will no longer be practical to With the help of volunteers from implement in a COVID environment. But there is still much that we have determined Lunch Break, a Monmouth County, is feasible. We thank each and every staff member who has invested time and talent NJ-based organization providing into Centennial planning. food, clothing, and other services for For an initial look at what’s ahead, we invite everyone to check out the official PA those in need, a dozen desks were Centennial website. On it, you’ll find the Agency’s official Centennial logo, which we’ll built. One desk in particular was be deploying throughout the year. This page will be updated with more info as the year specially delivered to his co-worker progresses and additional activities and events are finalized. To give you a preview of at the Holland Tunnel — a gift for her some of what’s in store, below are but a few of the highlights we are looking forward daughter. This gesture truly captures to: the spirit of the Port Authority family. • A pop-up historical exhibit celebrating the 100 years of the Port Authority is being And Patrick would like to extend developed by the New York Historical Society. This five-panel exhibit will be moved that help to the rest of the PA family. to each of our facilities through the year, beginning in April. If anyone is in need of a desk for their child, feel free to contact him • Four symposia on the Port Authority’s influence on the region are being developed at [email protected]. by the Rudin Center for Transportation Policy & Management at New York University and the Voorhees Center for Transportation at Rutgers University. • A video history project featuring interviews with notable former and longstanding employees is being developed in conjunction with Montclair State University. • A commemorative ceremony will take place on April 30, 2021, featuring the dedication of a plaque on the World Trade Center campus. • Additionally, on April 30, 2021, planning is underway for a virtual celebration that will enable participation by all employees and retirees. • A hardcover coffee table book featuring some of the best photography of the Agency’s past and present is being developed and will be completed this summer.

Patrick hard at work on desk-building. • Planning is underway for various Employee Business Resource Group-driven Centennial events throughout the year. As you can see, there is much in the works despite the challenges of the coronavirus. More activities and detail will be added, and we encourage everyone to check the Centennial website frequently for updates. As is the case with all centennials and all anniversaries, it is a time for looking back and a time for looking forward. The Port Authority’s second century is beginning. It is an exciting journey we will soon undertake, as with all things, together.

Kevin J. O’Toole Jeffrey H. Lynford Rick Cotton Chairman Vice-Chairman Executive Director

TRADING POST Did you know that you can use the Trading Post to request an item you’re looking for? Work with your fellow PA employees to get any supplies you may need. Get started here.

PA NEWS JANUARY 8, 2021 | 5 Virtual Holiday Parties from Congratulations Around the Port Authority to the PAPD’s We know that this holiday season was unlike any other in recent memory, but we’re glad to see that it didn’t stop many of you from spreading the holiday cheer. From all Newest around the agency, departments showed that the spirit of the holidays was stronger Promotees than ever, holding virtual happy hours and ugly sweater parties. Take a look at some of the fun that was had, and thanks to all who submitted photos! In the midst of the ongoing challenges facing our region over the past several months, one constant that we could rely on was the dedicated men and women who make up the Port Authority Police Department. The PAPD has continued to ensure that our facilities remain safe as we keep the region moving during an unprecedented time. Please join us in congratulating the many members of our Police Major Capital Projects Department who were recently elevated to higher ranks. Promoted to the Rank of Lieutenant: Office of the Chief Security Officer, Resource Management & Planning Sergeant David Derroches Promoted to the Rank of Sergeant: Detective William J. Puleo Police OfficerJavier G. Cerna JFK Properties Police OfficerMarvin M. Cha Police OfficerMark V. Dimaggio Police OfficerLawrence L. Jackson Police OfficerJoseph M. Malone III Police OfficerSalvatore C. Porcaro Police OfficerThomas J. Ryan Police Officer Priscilla D. Sanchez- Gonzalez Police OfficerHeather Sellaro Police OfficerJeffrey D. Solomon Police OfficerEdgard Suarez Communications and Marketing Office of Diversity & Inclusion Police OfficerDaniel L. Tocci

CALENDAR OCI Virtual Continuous and share tools that employees can training. This class will use your body use in their own jobs. From lunch and weight in a structured way that can Improvement learns to roundtable discussions, find be done anywhere and is great for any Appreciation Week out firsthand how your coworkers are fitness level. Register here. adapting to challenge and innovating. Monday, January 11 through Friday, For more information and to RSVP to the PAPWT: Staying January 15. Join the Office of Continuous week’s events, see the registration page. Improvement (OCI) for a virtual Relevant at Work Continuous Improvement Appreciation Wellness: Body During the Pandemic Week. This year’s theme is “Resilience Thursday, January 21 from 12 p.m. to 1 p.m. through Continuous Improvement: Works Boot Camp Members and non-members are invited Meeting 2020's challenges with radical & Conditioning Class to join PAPWT for a virtual session led by collaboration.” Beginning on January 11, Wednesday, January 13 at 9:30 a.m. Via Robyn Davis-Mahoney, HR’s Head of this week-long series of virtual events Zoom. The ultimate functional workout Talent Strategies/Organization Capability and discussions will recognize staff with intervals of low-impact cardio & Culture on how best to manage and from across the agency, showcase combined with multi-joint strength enhance your personal brand with the Continuous Improvement projects, continued on page 7 >

PA NEWS JANUARY 8, 2021 | 6 CALENDAR STAFF NEWS continued from page 6 > Janet Cox Named Chief of Staff unique circumstances posed by life and the pandemic. Learn strategies for ED’s Office for networking, getting a sponsor, Originally issued to agency staff via PA Broadcast having a presence in Webex meetings, on Thursday, January 7, from the Office of Executive documenting your contributions for Director Rick Cotton. performance appraisals, and expanding your professional network. PAPWT I am pleased to announce that Janet Cox will members will receive an Outlook become my Chief of Staff effective January 11. invitation and do not need to register. As the Agency continues to respond to the Non-members can register here. COVID-19 pandemic, Janet will provide invaluable support to me in advancing our critical priorities and Wellness: Avoiding standards in a way that is consistent with our budget constraints. Janet brings extraordinary experience Burnout by Practicing and extraordinary talent to this role. She knows the Self-Care Agency inside and out. As head of Management & Thursday, January 21 at 12:30 p.m. Budget within the finance organization since 2015, she Via Zoom. A guide to avoid burnout has reviewed, discussed, and debated the functioning with self-care. What are the signs of every part of the Agency. I have had the opportunity of burnout? Identify the stages of to work closely with her in her Management & burnout and how to prevent it. Find Budget role. She has unfailingly brought to the table time to take care of your health, do thoughtful analysis and insight, meticulous attention things you find refreshing and have a to detail, a creative approach to problem solving, a commitment to identifying new sense of purpose. Register here. options and alternatives, and a pragmatic understanding of the need for the Agency to get things done. In terms of working relationships, she advocates for her positions PAHS Three Kings forcefully but in a collegial manner that respects the views of others. And she cares deeply about the functioning of the Agency, and about improving the work experience Day Fundraiser and career opportunities for employees across the Agency. Friday, January 29 from 4 to 5:30 Her outstanding work on the 2021 Operating and Capital and Debt Service budget p.m. Via Webex. Kick-off 2021 by was critical in ensuring the Agency was able to continue to support major capital celebrating Three Kings Day (Dia de construction projects and prioritize the safety and security of our facilities, in a los Reyes) with a fundraiser, music, fiscally responsible manner. Additionally, she will provide support and leadership for party in a box (to be mailed to your a multitude of efforts — from day-to-day support of our line departments to major home) and prizes! Price per person redevelopment projects. is $50 which includes PAHS 2021 A 37-year veteran of the Port Authority. Janet has served as the Director of membership. To RSVP, please email Management & Budget since 2015, where she oversaw the allocation of the Agency’s [email protected] by January 21. See financial, physical and position resources through the management of the Port flyer here. Authority’s annual budget. Prior to her time in Management & Budget, Janet served as General Manager of the Ferry Transportation Program, Manager of Business & Future City Workforce Development for the Economic Development Department, Manager of the Volunteers Wanted Information Services Department, and Manager of Marketing & Business Development Saturday, February 6. Future City is for the World Trade Institute, among other roles. a national program that challenges As we deal with the continuing challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic and with middle school students to learn our critically important agenda to carry out the Agency’s priorities and embrace the engineering principles the fun way. standards by which we work, I am confident that Janet’s management experience, deep The program is looking for volunteer Agency expertise, and commitment to our priorities and standards position her to make judges for pre-competition and on a huge contribution in her new role. competition day. They also need Please join me in congratulating Janet. And I know I can count on your support for her professionals willing to mentor as she takes on her new responsibilities. (remotely) with classrooms and/or Rick Cotton student groups, or just to be available Executive Director to answer engineering questions from students. For more information on the NJ competition, contact Scott Lubarsky. For more information on WORKING ADVANTAGE DISCOUNT PROGRAM the NY competition, contact newyork_ Port Authority employees and retirees can take advantage of hundreds [email protected]. See flyer here. of discounts at stores, theaters, theme parks, and more through Working Advantage, the PA’s Employee Discount Program partner. * For Zoom events, we ask that Visit www.workingadvantage.com and use the PA Member ID you please use a personal device number — 405042634. to join.

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