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Amtrak’s board Feb. 22 unanimously elected John Robert Smith chairman, succeeding U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Tommy Thompson.



Acting Chairman Michael Dukakis nominated Smith and plans to continue serving Amtrak in his former capacity, board vice chairman.



"I nominated Mayor Smith for the chairmanship because he has been a superb board member and an eloquent champion of a modern, national, high-speed rail system," said Dukakis in a prepared statement. "He has the skills to harness the energies of our fellow board members and our dedicated employees to build the kind of first-class passenger rail system that America deserves."



Smith, a Republican and mayor of Meridian, Miss., also serves as chairman of National Corridors Initiative Inc.