Experienced Transportation Executive to Join TRC Leadership Team

East Liberty, OHIO — Transportation Research Center Inc. is expanding its leadership team as it embarks on a major expansion of the nation’s largest independent automotive proving grounds.

Joanna Pinkerton, an experienced leader in transportation and government who has worked closely with TRC as co-director of the Honda - Ohio State Partnership, will join the organization as chief operating officer.

“TRC is at the front line of innovation, and Joanna has the skills and experience to enhance our reputation as a world-class center for mobility and automotive research,” said David Williams, chairman of the TRC board of directors and dean of the Ohio State College of Engineering.

Pinkerton will join a team led by President and CEO Mark-Tami Hotta as TRC expands its national and international reach with projects such as the 540-acre SMART (Smart Mobility Advanced Research and Test) Center. “We enthusiastically welcome Joanna to the TRC team.  I’m confident that she will provide tremendous support in achieving our growth objectives,” commented Hotta.

In January, the State of Ohio and Ohio State University announced a $45 million investment in the first phase of the SMART Center expansion, a state-of-the-art hub for autonomous and connected vehicle testing. The university’s College of Engineering has committed another $24 million over five years to hire faculty and staff to support research in autonomous vehicle technology.

TRC is also a key partner in the city of Columbus’ $140 million Smart City project, awarded by the U.S. Department of Transportation.

“I’m excited to join the team responsible for advancing research into smart mobility, including connected and autonomous vehicles and other critical aspects that will ensure the safety and sustainability of our transportation future,” said Pinkerton. “TRC is poised to grow its impact as a center of innovation and draw economic activity from around the world to Ohio.”

Throughout her career, Pinkerton has worked in public, private and academic institutions to implement solutions in transportation, manufacturing and other technology-related fields. She joined Ohio State in 2012 as chief operating officer of the university’s Center for Automotive Research before becoming the co-director of the Honda-Ohio State Partnership in 2016.

Prior to joining Ohio State, Pinkerton served as the first person at the Ohio Department

of Transportation responsible for identifying and implementing prioritization of

transportation investments to support growth in manufacturing and logistics industries. She is an Ohio-licensed professional civil engineer.

 

For more information about the Transportation Research Center (TRC), visit the website by clicking here