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Metra has appointed Hilary Konczal its first chief safety and environmental officer, the commuter railroad announced yesterday.

The newly created position puts Metra in line with best practices and Federal Transit Administration recommendations, agency officials said in a press release.

Reporting directly to Executive Director and Chief Executive Officer Don Orseno, Konczal is responsible for the administrative oversight and management of Metra's safety programs and initiatives, along with environmental compliance and industrial hygiene activities, agency officials said.

Previously, Konczal served as director of safety, where he led a team of safety professionals responsible for safeguarding Metra's employees, passengers and contractors.

In September, Metra announced that Konczal was appointed to the World Safety Organization's board and received the group's James K. Williams Award for his dedication to programs and practices that promote safety.

With 24 years of service at Metra, he has an extensive background in railroad safety and security, operations, and regulatory compliance, agency officials said.

"Hilary has shown his commitment to ensuring our customers are safe in their commutes and employees are safe in their work environments,” Orseno said.

Additionally, Konczal is currently chairman of the American Public Transportation Association Commuter Rail Safety and Security Committee and a board member for the Illinois Terrorism Task Force. He also is an active member of the Federal Railroad Administration's Railroad Safety Advisory Committee, the Association of American Railroads' Safety and Operations Committee and the DuPage Railroad Safety Council.