Glendale City Councilman Ara Najarian has been named as the chairman of the governing body of Metrolink, the commuter railway service.Najarian will head up the Southern California Regional Rail Authority Board of Directors effective Jan. 1. He replaces outgoing chair Brian Humphrey, who represents the Ventura County Transportation Commission.Prior to his appointment as Metrolink chair, Najarian served as vice chairman for two years. He was first appointed to the board for the rail service between 2007 and 2012 and was reappointed in 2013. He represents the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority, or Metro.He credited his predecessor Humphrey with ushering in a new generation of leadership for the rail agency.“During Brian’s tenure, Metrolink saw the highest ridership levels in its history, as well as one of the most significant threats the transportation industry has seen in a generation: COVID-19,” Najarian said in a statement. “We thank him for helping secure Metrolink as an exemplary safety leader and essential service to the region during very uncertain times.” Najarian currently sits on the board of directors of the Hollywood Burbank Airport Authority. He is also past chair at both Metro and the San Fernando Valley Council of Governments.