Wanted: Visionary leader for high-tech transit

COTA is searching for a new CEO, someone who will continue the transit company’s evolution while embracing technology and partnerships to ensure that it remains vital to the region’s transportation and economic viability.

To be prepared for the process, COTA’s board sought input from dozens of “stakeholders” in the community — business and government leaders, residents, riders and others — to set priorities and qualifications.

COTA’s board of trustees created a selection committee to look for a CEO to replace Curtis Stitt, who retired in September. In addition to six of COTA’s board members, the selection committee also has seven other community leaders. One is Joy Bivens, head of the Franklin County Department of Job & Family Services, which has thousands of clients who depend on the bus to get to work, doctor appointments, school, the grocery store and elsewhere.

What does COTA’s board want in a new leader?

Trudy Bartley, COTA board of trustees vice president and head of the search committee to find the new CEO, could not be reached for comment, but the search committee issued an “executive profile” of qualities it seeks for of the agencies next leader. Among other things, that 30-page document describes a “visionary leader” and community partner who will

• Chief Operating Officer Richard Krisak and Assistant General Manager Benjamin Limmer of the Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority.

• Michael Davis, general superintendent of track and structures for the Washington Metro Area Transit Authority.

• Emille Williams, interim COTA CEO. Before that, he was COTA’s vice president of operations after leaving the Southeast Pennsylvania Transportation Authority in Philadelphia.

• Brian Buchanan, an Ohio native, now a senior vice president for VIA Metropolitan Transit in San Antonio. Buchanan was project manager for the $1.4 billion light-rail project in Phoenix.

• Brian Marshall, general collaborate with the Smart Columbus transportation technology initiative and who is committed to excellent service and marketing the transit system.

COTA’s board sees itself as more than a bus system. It is an economic driver that should be — and has been — involved in getting people to jobs.

For example, COTA changed its routes starting manager of the Fresno Area Express transit system in central California.

• Dimitar Mihaylov, a Bulgarian who last worked for Siemens in Bulgaria, the U.S. and Russia, with background in locomotive and electric commuter trains.

• Michael Ford, former chief executive officer for the Southeast Michigan Regional Transit Authority in Detroit. News reports have said Ford was terminated after questions about expenses.

• Khaled Jamil Shammout, director of transit planning in Palm Beach County, Florida.

•Jeff Barron, franchise manager for Dublin’s Midwestern Auto Group, which sells high-end cars.

• Robert Morabito, chief operating officer for a Jefferson City, May 1 to expand some of the service areas and hours to get people to jobs that aren’t 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday.

The job should be attractive.

Columbus is the 14th largest U.S. city and growing. Franklin County has a population of 1.2 million. The population for central Ohio, which is Franklin and its nearby Missouri, physician practice.

• Philip Simone, financial adviser, AXA Advisors.

• Dennis Solensky, public transit administrator, Connecticut Department of Transportation.

• Brad Thoburn, director of strategic planning and research, Jacksonville, Florida, Transportation Authority.

• Ahmad Al-Akhras, adviser to the vice president for planning and development, Public Transit Authority, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia; former assistant director of transportation for the Mid-Ohio Regional Planning Commission.

• Darrell Mobley, Department of Public Works & Transportation director, Prince George’s County, Maryland. counties, is projected to grow by 500,000 to 1 million by 2050, adding 300,000 jobs. Many of the new residents will need public transportation.

COTA has solid funding. Of its $151 million budget this year, $130 million comes from two sales taxes. One is permanent. The other, approved last fall by voters, is for 10 years.

Stitt, whose last salary was $284,000 per year, left COTA in good shape. Stitt implemented several programs aimed at improving services to riders that the new CEO will be asked to continue.

The NextGen program is COTA’s vision to make public transit more convenient and faster and to help “create communities where young and old alike want to live, work and raise a family.” In the last year, COTA also began providing Wi-Fi on its buses at no cost to riders and is working to implement technology to make paying the fare — which has remained at $2 since 2012 despite recommendations for increases — easier by using smartphones and other technology.

COTA also is working with Smart Columbus to identify technologies to make transit smarter, faster and more efficient. Michael Stevens, Columbus’ chief innovation officer who is in charge of Smart Columbus, was named a COTA board member this year. The region won $50 million in grants to make Columbus a showcase for future transportation technology, while being environmentally friendly. That could include driverless buses, light rail or some other transportation mode.

Some of the candidates have backgrounds in building, developing and operating light-rail systems. As of Nov. 15, candidates had sent 16 resumes to the private firm COTA hired to help conduct the search. They are professionals involved in transit in Atlanta, Detroit, Phoenix, San Antonio and abroad.

The selection committee plans to shorten the list to three candidates and interview them Dec. 4 and Dec. 7.