“Rail has been and continues to be an economic driver nationally and locally. Altoona, Pennsylvania has a rich history of railroading. To date, our local railroad still has repair operations in town that help support the local economy in many ways including purchasing from other local businesses.”

Mayor Matt Pacifico was first elected as Altoona’s Mayor in 2013. He was re-elected as the city’s full-time Mayor, a newly-created position under the city’s Home Rule Charter, in November 2015. Pacifico has been instrumental in initiating a number of strategies to improve the city’s financial outlook, attract new business, and to become the fastest city ever to exit PA’s Act 47 distressed municipality program. He works with state and federal representatives and officials to bring about positive change to the community.

Prior to his election, Pacifico played an integral role at Pacifico Bakery, serving as the Operations Manager for 10 years, overseeing all functions of the business from mixing to shipping. He and his wife, Kristal, have 2 sons, Ethan and Angelo.

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GoRail’s rail advocates are community leaders from every region of the country. From Duluth to Denver, Corpus Christi to Charleston, freight rail investments are catalyzing local development and supporting jobs in communities across America. Join our advocates and become a strong voice for smart rail policy decisions.