North Carolina Railroad names Bell chairman

The North Carolina Railroad Co.'s (NCRR) board has elected William Bell chairman.

Bell succeeds Michael Walters, who had served as NCRR chairman since 2017 and will remain on the board, railroad officials said in a press release.

Bell served as mayor of Durham, North Carolina, for 16 years, and as a Durham County Commissioner for 26 years, including 12 as its chairman. He has been on NCRR's board since 2017, serving on the strategic planning and commuter rail committees.

"The North Carolina Railroad Co. is an important asset to North Carolina’s economy, investing in infrastructure critical to job growth,” Bell said.

Bell also is a former senior engineer at IBM. Currently, he is executive vice president and chief operating officer at UDI Community Development Corp., a nonprofit organization that focuses on underserved populations by promoting affordable housing, entrepreneurship and employment skills.