People News: Edna A. Rice; Metro Transit; WMATA
Written by Marybeth Luczak, Executive Editor
Pictured (left to right): Steffanie Vagnozzi, Executive Recruiter, Edna A. Rice Executive Recruiters; Michael L. Anzallo, Police Chief, Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority; Brian Funk, Deputy General Manager-Chief Operating Officer, Metro Transit (Minneapolis).
Steffanie Vagnozzi has joined the Edna A. Rice Executive Recruiters team. In addition, Brian Funk has assumed the role of Deputy General Manager-Chief Operating Officer at Metro Transit in Minneapolis and Michael L. Anzallo has assumed the role of Police Chief of the Metro Transit Police Department at Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority; both had served in the roles in an interim capacity.
At Edna A. Rice, Vagnozzi has been named Executive Recruiter, responsible for attracting top talent within the rail and transportation industry. With 17 years of railroading experience, she started her career at TrinityRail, rising through the ranks to become Vice President of Sales covering territories in the southwest and Gulf region, and then transitioned to The Greenbrier Companies to develop accounts in the northeastern U.S. and Eastern Canada.
“It’s an exciting time in rail and transportation as more and more companies turn to us for help,” said Edna Rice, President of Edna A. Rice Recruiters. “As the job market has grown, we embrace Steffanie’s leadership in rail and welcome her to our team.”
At Metro Transit in Minneapolis, Funk became interim Deputy General Manager-Chief Operating Officer last summer, following Vince Pellegrin’s retirement. He will continue to help develop budgets, lead labor negotiations, and coordinate emergency procedures, among other responsibilities.
Funk joined Metro Transit in 2002 as a Transit Control Center Supervisor and also served as an Assistant Transportation Manager, Garage Manager, Assistant Director-Field Operations, and Director of Light Rail Operations. He was promoted to Deputy Chief Operating Officer-Bus in 2016.
At WMATA, Anzallo was asked to serve as interim Police Chief of the Metro Transit Police Department in August 2021, following service as Assistant Police Chief since 2018.
He has focused on recruiting new officers; bolstering support of accountability measures within MTPD; building positive community relationships; supporting stiffer penalties for proposed legislation to protect front-line transit workers from assaults; expanding police presence to support new service expansion areas in WMATA territory; and emphasizing opportunities for training.
Anzallo coordinates WMATA’s emergency management command response with area law enforcement; oversees transit police security programs including transit police bureaus for patrol operations, homeland security, intelligence and investigations; and provides strategic oversight for WMATA’s executive management team and Board of Directors.
“Chief Anzallo is a trusted leader in MTPD who has built important relationships with our communities and jurisdictional police partners,” WMATA General Manager and CEO Paul J. Wiedefeld said. “He demonstrates genuine concern for helping to solve very difficult challenges that are unique to our business and the region. I know he will be an effective leader for MTPD.”
