Transit Professionals Band Together to Support One of Their Own

Rays the Mark Foundation (RTM), formed by public transit industry leaders Ray Melleady, president, Ster Seating, and immediate past chair, APTA Business Member Board of Governors; and Mark Aesch, CEO, TransPro Consulting, welcomed more than 100 industry professionals to its annual charity golf tournament, held October 3 during APTA’s TRANSform Conference & EXPO in Chicago. RTM honors selfless individuals and supports people in the public transportation industry facing serious health and personal challenges.

This year’s tournament honored Emily DeVito, director of communications and executive support, Capital District Transportation Authority in Albany, NY, who was diagnosed with hereditary Polycystic Kidney Disease. Informed that her kidney function was rapidly declining, DeVito was placed on a transplant list and waited for more than a year before a match finally came.

Outside of work and recovery, DeVito is deeply involved in her community through St. Pius X Church in Loudonville, the Capital District Food Pantries, and Donate Life of New York. Her successful transplant, along with the support from the charity golf tournament, gave her a second chance to continue serving her community.

“I was truly overwhelmed by the turnout and the amount of support. Seeing all these people coming together for me and my family was incredibly humbling,” said DeVito. “When I joined the transportation industry nearly five years ago, I never realized just how giving this community is and how often people show up for one another. This experience has been a powerful reminder of that. I’m not sure that I’ll ever be able to put into words how much that support means to me and my family. The generosity of Rays the Mark Foundation and everyone who has contributed means more than I can express.”

Learn more about Rays the Mark Foundation at https://raysthemarkfoundation.com.