People

Robert E. Primus was sworn in as a Member of the Surface Transportation Board on January 7, 2021, following his confirmation by the U.S. Senate on September 16, 2020.  He was confirmed by the U.S. Senate for a full term on December 20, 2022 and sworn in on January 12, 2023.  Mr. Primus served as Vice Chairman of the Board from February 2021 to February 2022.

For the past thirty years, Robert Primus has been involved in various aspects of the United States Congress and the Federal legislative process.  In 1991, he began his government service with the late Senator Frank Lautenberg of New Jersey.  In 1993, he moved to the House of Representatives to join the legislative staff of former Representative Carrie Meek of Florida.  Mr. Primus joined the staff of former Representative Mel Reynolds of Illinois in early 1994 and remained there as the Congressman’s principal legislative assistant until the end of that year.

In 1995, Mr. Primus transitioned from the Hill to the lobbying firm of Van Scoyoc Associates, Inc. where, for four years, he represented and advised firm clients on budgetary, appropriations, transportation, and national security matters.  Mr. Primus returned to Capitol Hill in 1999 as Legislative Director to former Representative Michael Capuano of Massachusetts.  In 2002, Representative Capuano promoted Mr. Primus to the position of Chief of Staff, a post he held until December of 2018, when Representative Capuano departed Congress.  In addition to his Chief of Staff duties, Mr. Primus advised Rep. Capuano on national security, health care, transportation and Coast Guard-related matters.

In January of 2019, Mr. Primus joined the office of Representative Nanette Diaz Barragán of California as her Chief of Staff.  In October of 2019, he departed Representative Barragán’s office and joined the office of former Presidential candidate and current Congressman Tim Ryan of Ohio as his Senior Advisor.  He served with Congressman Ryan until February 2020, when Mr. Primus joined the office of Congressman Tony Cárdenas, first as his Senior Advisor and then as Chief of Staff.

Mr. Primus is a native of Madison, New Jersey.  He graduated with honors from Hampton University in 1991, receiving a Bachelor of Science degree in Marketing.  Additionally, Mr. Primus received a certificate from Harvard University’s John F. Kennedy School of Government in 2007 for his participation in the school’s Executive Education Program.  He is happily married and enjoys the daily challenges associated with raising three adventurous young boys.

John Sileo lost his million-dollar startup, his wealth, and two years of his life to cybercrime. It began when a cybercriminal (and trusted insider) embezzled from the company’s clients using John’s identity. John was held legally and financially responsible for the felonies committed while proving his innocence. The losses not only destroyed his company and decimated his life savings, but consumed two years of young fatherhood as he fought to stay out of jail.

Thankfully, John’s story has a happy ending. After two years, he was exonerated of all crimes and has spent the better part of two decades sharing his story and hard-earned wisdom as a cybersecurity expert, award-winning author, 60 Minutes guest and keynote speaker for the Pentagon, Amazon, and thousands of audiences worldwide. He seeks to keep organizations from becoming the next disastrous data breach headline. John specializes in the human elements of cybersecurity and uses disarming humor, audience interaction and cutting-edge research to keep his training relevant and entertaining.

John is President of The Sileo Group, a Colorado-based think tank, and serves on several boards as a director. He graduated with honors from Harvard University and was recently inducted into the National Speakers Hall of Fame. John finds his greatest pleasure hiking in the Rocky Mountains with his amazing wife and strong daughters – the lovely family who helped him turn life’s lemons into something much sweeter and more fulfilling.