Simplify the following text for a Grade 8 native English-speaking person.
Original: When Richard Nixon became US President in 1969 , Boyd left the Transportation Department to become the president of the Illinois Central Railroad , a position he held from 1969 to 1972 .
Simplified: When the Richard M. Nixon administration took power , Boyd left the government and became the president of the Illinois Central Railroad , a position he held from 1969 to 1972 .