(Columbus-November 4, 2010) Chester R. Jourdan, Jr., executive director of the Mid-Ohio Regional Planning Commission (MORPC), was appointed by the Association of Metropolitan Planning Organizations (AMPO) Board of Directors as a member of the Policy Committee at AMPO's 2010 Annual Conference in St. Louis. The Policy Committee, a standing committee operating under the Board of Directors, recommends significant actions to the Board of Directors for approval.

AMPO is a nonprofit, membership organization established in 1994 to serve the needs and interests of metropolitan planning organizations (MPOs) nationwide. AMPO serves as the transportation advocate for metropolitan regions and is committed to enhancing MPOs' abilities to improve metropolitan transportation systems. Federal highway and transit statutes require, as a condition for spending federal highway or transit funds in urbanized areas, the designation of MPOs, which have responsibility for planning, programming and coordination of federal highway and transit investments.

"Chester's professional experiences at the local level to the international level will strengthen AMPO's Policy Committee. Chester's work with key Congressional decision makers allows the metropolitan planning organizations' voice to be louder as we continue work on the next federal transportation bill," states DeLania Hardy, AMPO's Executive Director.

"The world is in transition and transportation will play a critical role as we reposition ourselves to be vital and competitive in a global economy. My appointment to AMPO's Policy Committee provides another opportunity for central Ohio to be engage in the conversation of strengthening our transportation system, creating economic opportunity and providing a better quality of life for central Ohio residents," states Jourdan.

MORPC is a voluntary association of 47 local governments in central Ohio serving the region through planning, direct service, public policy information and innovative programming and intergovernmental coordinating services in the areas of transportation, land use, energy conservation, the environment and housing.