Centro names new CEO

SYRACUSE, N.Y. — Centro on Tuesday said its board of members has appointed Christopher Tuff as the new CEO of Central New York Regional Transportation Authority (Centro) and its subsidiary organizations. Tuff assumes the role of CEO after serving during the past four and a half years as Centro’s deputy CEO. During that time, he oversaw the successful launch of Centro’s service in Cortland County, the first expansion of services in 20 years. Tuff succeeds Brian Schultz in the CEO role. Schultz went on leave in October 2023 due to health issues and eventually informed the Authority his health wouldn’t allow him to return. “When we began our search for a new CEO, the Board of Members promised to find a leader who exemplifies the organization’s values and appreciates the importance of public transportation in a service area like ours,” Nicholas Laino, chairman of the Centro board, said in the announcement. “We have someone who has demonstrated his ability to lead this organization with accountability and transparency. Someone who lives the values Centro prioritizes. Someone who is ready to transform Central New York’s transportation landscape through the arrival of Micron and removal of Interstate 81. That leader is Christopher Tuff.” Tuff began his career at Centro in 2007 in the Authority’s accounting department. He left the organization for eight years, working as an auditor for the New York State Department of Taxation and Finance. Tuff returned to Centro in 2016 and “steadily rose through the ranks,” holding the positions of vice president of administration, director of operations, and director of subsidiary operations. Besides his role as an executive, Tuff also occasionally gets behind the wheel. Tuff obtained his commercial driver’s license (CDL) in 2017 and has operated buses during special events amid the current bus-operator shortage. Like other Centro drivers, Tuff attends regular training and safety programs, Centro noted.