Meet our Board of Trustees

Perry Frenzel brings over thirty years of experience in the fields of engineering, planning and construction from both the public and the private sectors. He has had the unique opportunity to be deeply involved in the development process from three perspectives: first as the Chief Engineer for the regional zoning and planning authority charged with guiding and overseeing the orderly development of New Jersey’s Hackensack Meadowlands, then as a civil engineering and planning consultant to many of the region’s property owners, and as the Senior Vice President of Engineering and Development for one of the State’s largest real estate developers.

In 2009, Perry founded PNJ/FRENZEL Associates, LLC, focusing on development planning, site design and regulatory matters. In his alliance with the architectural planning firm Michaels & Waldrom Associates, PNJ/FRENZEL – Michaels & Waldron offers the client a complete ‘soup-to-nuts’ array of design, development and construction services, literally with the capability of taking projects from concept through construction.

As the Managing Member, Ms. Ott brings over 27 years of experience in traffic engineering and safety from the public sector dealing with federal, state, county, and local agencies and organizations providing leadership in traffic engineering and safety.  With a proven record of developing and implementing traffic and safety programs at the state level, Pat brings diverse groups of agencies and organizations together to partner in implementing traffic and safety programs statewide.

She has developed and managed the New Jersey strategic highway safety plan; managed federal safety funding; facilitated safety task forces; and brought many agencies and organizations together to participate in implementing traffic and safety programs.  She has recognized the need for multidisciplinary teamwork in implementing successful traffic and safety programs and brings that leadership quality to all facets of her work.

Ms. Ott has represented NJDOT at the national level, participating on various safety committees and task forces, gathering an understanding of safety issues from a national perspective.  While at the NJDOT, Pat had developed skills in the areas of materials, construction, traffic operations and ITS, before leading the Traffic Engineering and Safety Division.  Her well-rounded career enables her to bring a variety of knowledge and skills to successfully satisfy her clients’ needs.

Her current work includes providing project management and technical expertise to a variety of safety clients; safety-related research for Rutgers University’s Center for Advanced Infrastructure and Transportation (CAIT); and chairing a statewide traffic records committee.

Chip Hallock retired in September 2024 after serving 25 years as CEO of the Newark Regional Business Partnership (NRBP).

Chip joined NRBP in January 2000 after serving as president of the Bergen County-based Commerce and Industry Association of NJ for seven years. He assumed the presidency of that group following nine years in other staff positions including executive director of the Association’s educational affiliate, the Foundation for Free Enterprise. A graduate of Moravian College, Chip began his working career as a high school social studies teacher.

Chip is the immediate past president of the New Jersey Association of Chamber of Commerce Executives and serves on the boards of EZ Ride, University Heights Science Park, Greater Newark Business Development Consortium, Foundation for Free Enterprise, Nation’s Port and ACE mentor Program of NJ and the advisory board of the Cornwall for Metropolitan Studies at Rutgers University and New Jersey Small Business Development Center.

Ronald Nichols retired from NJ TRANSIT as the Director, Private Carrier Affairs in June 2022. He was responsible for providing the link between NJ TRANSIT and the private bus sector, which currently provides approximately 35 percent of commuter bus service in the State of New Jersey. This department directs all programs affecting private bus carriers, including contracting local bus services, negotiation and administration of NJ TRANSIT’s Bus Lease Program, allocation of funding of the Private Carrier Capital Improvement Program as well as administering the private carrier’s participation in the NJ TRANSIT’s Bus Card, Elderly & Handicapped and Student Reduced Fare Reimbursement programs.

Ronald has over 30 years of professional experience in Auditing, Accounting and Transportation. Management and has served in the following lead roles over the years:

Audit Supervisor, KMG Main Hurdman, Certified Public Accountants
Director of Finance, Community Healthcare Visiting Nurse Association
Manager, Internal Audit NJ TRANSIT

Ronald is also the lead Project Manager of NJ TRANSIT’s Federal Transit Administration Drug and Alcohol Monitoring Compliance Program for private carriers, Local Program Participant, Access Link providers and NJ TRANSIT’s light Rail Operations

Ronald holds a Bachelor Degree in Business Administration with concentration in Accounting from Bowie State University. He is a Certified Internal Auditor and Certified Fraud Examiner.

Krishna Murthy has a multidisciplinary background in management, planning, engineering, and business. Krishna is a graduate of the National Defense Academy (NDA) and the Indian Military Academy (IMA) and served as an officer in the Indian Army. Before joining EZ Ride, he worked as a Research Assistant at the University Transportation Research Center (UTRC) at City College, New York. Krishna has an MBA from Columbia Business School, an MS in Civil Engineering (Transportation) from the City University of New York, and an MS in City & Regional Planning from Pratt Institute in Brooklyn.

Avnish Gupta is an attorney with diverse management and executive experience.  Prior to his current position, Avnish worked as an Associate with a law firm in Pennsylvania, managed law practice in India, and served in the Indian Army as a Commissioned Officer.  Avnish combines his legal and risk management skills with men and material management experience to bring a unique perspective to various business, legal and HR issues. Avnish also serves on the Board of Directors of Alliance of Nonprofits for Insurance. Avnish is a graduate of the National Defense Academy (Bachelor of Science), the Indian Military Academy, Delhi University Law Centre (Bachelor of Laws) and Georgetown University Law Center (Master of Laws).