Metra names Deno chief HR officer, preps for new rail-car seats

Metra has hired Jayne Deno as chief human resources officer.

Deno most recently served as vice president of human resources at Americas for Oerlikon Fairfield in Lafayette, Indiana.

Prior to joining Oerlikon Fairfield in 2015, Deno was human resources manager for Schneider Electric. She also worked for Ivy Tech Community College's Corporate College and spent more than a decade in human resources at General Motors/Delphi Electronics and Safety.

"We're pleased Ms. Deno is bringing her wealth of knowledge and experience to Metra," said Executive Director and Chief Executive Officer Don Orseno in a press release. "Her expertise will ensure our agency continues to succeed by supporting and engaging current and prospective employees."

Meanwhile, Metra last week announced plans to purchase and install new seats on an ongoing basis as it rehabilitates its fleet of rail cars.

The new seats feature armrests, built-in cup holders and better head, neck and lumbar support, Metra officials said in a press release. They'll be included in future rail-car purchases and become the standard for Metra's fleet moving forward.

The news follows a yearlong pilot program to test the new seats. As part of the program, Metra used a survey to gather customer input about the seats. While the new seats weren't universally approved, Metra maintains that there are "strong economic reasons" for choosing the new style.

"This was not an easy choice to make because we know that many of our customers like the older, bench-style seats," Orseno said. "But we received some great input from our customers that we will incorporate into the next design that will make the new seats even more comfortable."