After two years of serving as New York City Transit president, Richard Davey will head to Boston to become the CEO of Massport, officials said Wednesday.

Davey was among 100 candidates that a search committee considered for the role, Massport board members said. Davey already had relevant experience in the state as Massachusetts secretary of transportation. In their decision, board members noted Davey had overseen the “Big Dig,” one of the country’s biggest infrastructure projects that moved an elevated I-93 highway underground in the heart of downtown Boston. In New York, he led the subway system out of the coronavirus pandemic.

“These were big moments in large organizations. And I think Richard Davey has proven himself to be a strategic leader and very talented in that regard,” Patricia Jacobs, a Massport board chairperson, said at a full board deliberation Wednesday.

“He knows how important the senior staff is to the success of Massport. He understands the wants and needs and has a vision where this authority needs to go. So, I would obviously support Rich Davey as well,” Sean O’Brien, a Massport board member, said at a full board deliberation Wednesday.

Davey released a statement Wednesday expressing gratitude for the new job and reflecting on his time in New York City.

"I am honored to have been selected by the Massachusetts Port Authority Board to serve as the Authority's next CEO," Davey said. "Serving as the president of NYCT has been a professional and personal joy. I am grateful to have worked for Governor Hochul, Chair Lieber and with Mayor Adams. I want to especially thank the men and women of NYCT who work tirelessly to move NY — there is no better team in the business and everyone who puts on an MTA uniform can be proud that they make the daily miracle of our transit system possible."

Davey became NYCT president in May 2022, shortly after the Sunset Park subway shooting and the fatal shooting of Daniel Enriquez aboard a Q train. Davey says he came in with a philosophy, or what he called his north star, to deliver faster, cleaner, safer service. He also used weekend work to also make cosmetic improvements that he called “re-NEW-vations” to stations, according to the MTA.

MTA chairman and CEO Janno Lieber said Wednesday the MTA is prepared to continue without Davey.

“I’m thrilled for Rich. He’s a Bostonian. He’s going home, and it’s obviously a great job at the top of the transportation industry. So, congratulations to him. Congratulations to Boston for bringing home their native son. Even if it creates a momentary disruption for MTA,” Lieber said.

Lieber immediately appointed Demetrius Crichlow, the current vice president of subways, as interim transit president.

Crichlow will take over on June 14, while Davey is expected to start at Massport no later than Sept. 9.

Davey will earn an annual salary of $420,000, a number voted on by the Massport board.