Gilani, a Canadian, split his time between Washington and New York.
AB Wire
NEW YORK: A senior vice president of Wells Fargo’s hospitality finance group, Abid Gilani, 55, who was of Canadian origin, was among seven people killed in the Amtrak crash in Philadelphia.
A company spokeswoman confirmed the news, reported CNN.
He was a “valued member” of the division, the spokesperson said.
Gilani worked at Wells Fargo for about a year and had been at Marriott for the previous seven, according to LinkedIn. He had attended Laurentian University in Sudbury, Ontario, and the University of Saskatchewan before working as a mine planning engineer in Saskatoon. He also worked for ScotiaBank and RBC Dominion Securities.
The Amtrak train originated in Washington, D.C. and was headed for New York. It derailed and crashed at about 9:30 p.m. Tuesday. At least 200 people were injured. When it crashed, the train was traveling about 106 mph in an area where the maximum speed limit is 50 mph. All seven cars and the engine derailed, reported CNN.
The Huffington Post reported a Wells Fargo spokeswoman saying Gilani was a married father of two who split his time between Washington and New York.
Gilani’s wife told reporters in Rockville, Maryland, that her husband was a “dear person” and “a kind family man.”
“We have suffered a tremendous loss today,” Diane Gilani said Wednesday. “He’ll be sorely missed … he was really a wonderful person.”
Diane Gilani said she and her husband — both from Canada — moved to the United States “decades ago” but still have family ties in Ontario.
The New York Daily News reported that Gilani was returning to New York from Virginia where he and his mother, who lives in Toronto, had attended his uncle’s funeral when the crash happened.
The crash victims included Jim Gaines, a video software specialist for the Associated Press. He worked there since 1998 and was returning home after meetings in Washington, the AP said.
Gaines, 48, is survived by his wife, Jacqueline, and two children, 11-year-old Anushka and 16-year-old Oliver.
Rachel Jacobs, the CEO of a small tech company called ApprenNet, also died in the crash, reported CNN. She was recently appointed as CEO and commuted from her home in New York City to her job in Philadelphia. She leaves behind her husband and a two-year-old son.
U.S. Naval Academy midshipman Justin Zemser was also among those killed in the crash.