Michael Reininger, CEO
Michael Reininger is the Chief Executive Officer of Brightline Holdings, the only provider of modern, eco-friendly high-speed passenger rail service in the United States and recognized by Fast Company as one of the Most Innovative Companies in Travel.
From 2012-2018, Reininger served as Brightline’s president, leading all efforts to launch its phase-one system from Miami to West Palm Beach. Under his leadership, Brightline modernized an existing rail corridor, built three new stations and introduced a fleet of first-of their-kind trainsets. Reininger also led the development of Brightline’s flagship station, Miami Central, an 11-acre multi-modal transportation center with a food hub, over 800 residences, commercial office towers and street front retail.
Brightline launched its service in 2018 as the first private sector passenger rail system built in the United States in over a century.
Reininger rejoined Brightline as CEO in 2021 to oversee the company’s next phase of growth including new connections to Orlando and Tampa in addition to new stops within South Florida, as well as the development of Brightline West, a new high-speed rail service connecting Las Vegas to the Los Angeles metro area.
Reininger has more than three decades of experience in the development of major projects and the start-up of unique companies. Prior to 2012, Reininger delivered some of the world’s most iconic projects while working with the Walt Disney Company, including several resort hotels, the initiation of the Disney Vacation Club, Euro Disney Resort in Paris and the launch of the Disney Cruise Line. Reininger was also the Managing Director of the Union Station Neighborhood Company where he led the effort to transform Denver’s Union Station and its downtown railyard into a modern multi-modal transportation hub. He has also served as Executive Vice-President and Chief Development Officer for AECOM, and Senior Vice-President for the St Joe Company.