Sound Transit
Sound Transit recently announced that its preferred candidate for CEO is King County Executive Dow Constantine, and the 18-member governing board is scheduled to vote on his appointment on Thursday, March 27. The appointment requires a supermajority vote at a public meeting, according to the agency.
According to a Seattle Times report, the Sound Transit board announced March 24 that it intends to sign a deal with Constantine, who not vote and has recused himself from the board’s CEO deliberations.
His starting annual salary would be $450,000, “at the low end” of the advertised CEO pay that could’ve gone as high as $650,000, according to Sound Transit spokesperson John Gallagher and as reported by the Seattle Times.It will still be a considerable bump from his current $296,028 annual salary for the county executive’s job.
According to the report, the agency did not release the new CEO contract or Constantine’s start date but will do so before Thursday’s meeting, Gallagher said.
Constantine, 63, announced last fall that he would not seek a fifth term this year as King County executive, a seat he won in 2009 after serving in the state Legislature and on the County Council, according to the report.
According to the Seattle Times report, Constantine “prevailed over a field of 60 applicants for Sound Transit CEO, including four finalists who are chief executives of other U.S. transit agencies. Their identities were kept confidential, while board members held closed-door meetings to interview and discuss the finalists, as allowed by state law.”
Constantine would take over from interim CEO Goran Sparrman, who will retire at age 70. Sparrman followed Julie Timm, who served as CEO for 16 months after coming from a small Richmond, Va., bus agency.
The following is a statement from Snohomish County Executive and Sound Transit Board Chair Dave Somers, Pierce County Executive and Sound Transit Board Vice Chair Ryan N. Mello, and King County Councilmember and Sound Transit Board Vice Chair Claudia Balducci:
“We are pleased to put forward Dow Constantine for a vote of the Board. We are confident he has the knowledge, experience, and commitment to achieve Sound Transit’s goals and complete the ST3 package.
“Being CEO of Sound Transit is a tough job with many constituencies to serve, and Dow has proven over his career in public service that he can deliver large capital projects, successfully oversee a major transit agency, and foster partnerships across our region that are essential to make Sound Transit function at the highest possible level. We know this is a crucial time for the agency, and there are difficult and complex discussions on the near horizon, along with reforms that will require knowledge and commitment to continue forward. These include operational and maintenance challenges that need to be addressed immediately by an incoming CEO, increased accountability measures, as well as rising financial pressure from inflation and economic uncertainties. As Board leaders, our priority remains delivering on the voter-approved ST3 package, while operating a safe and dependable system.
“The search for a new CEO was competitive. The Board started with 60 applicants from around the world and narrowed the field from 15 to 5 to 3 and finally to 1. It was a thorough process with significant public input, vigorous discussions, and multiple panels that included transit riders, disability advocates, other regional transit agencies, and labor and economic development organizations.
“We are grateful to the many board members, agency staff, and community partners who provided valuable insights and have put their time and skills toward making sure we had an extensive and thoughtful CEO search process. We look forward to the Board’s decision on Thursday.”
RCR Rail Co.
RCR Rail Co. on March 20 announced the appointment of Bruce Mann as Vice President of Operations.
In this role, Mann will oversee the day-to-day management of operational activities, the execution of strategic initiatives, and the company’s operating P&L. He will also be responsible for contractor oversight and procurement, “ensuring industry-leading customer satisfaction, and deepening client relationships. Additionally, he will play a key role in revenue-generating activities, client development, and business growth,” according to the company.
With an extensive career spanning the rail, freight, and transportation sectors, Mann brings a wealth of leadership experience to RCR Rail Co. He is a recognized industry expert and a dynamic public speaker, having been honored as the 2020 Person of the Year by both the North American Rail Shippers Association (NARS) and the Southwest Association of Rail Shippers (SWARS). His accolades also include being named 2022 Diversity & Inclusion Leader of the Year and 2021 Global Port Executive of the Year by TMSFirst/Global Supply Chain Leaders.
Mann has held influential positions in numerous organizations, including serving as Past President of NARS, Vice President of SWARS, a Board Member of the Gulf Coast Rail District (GCRD), Chair of the Houston Area Rail Transformation (The HART) Committee, and Co-Chair of the Greater Houston Freight Committee. His leadership has also extended to the Center for Houston’s Future, where he serves on both the Board of Directors and the Executive Committee.
Beyond his professional achievements, Mann is deeply committed to social causes, particularly in the fight against human trafficking in the Houston region. His work has been recognized by the Center for Houston’s Future as their 2018 Impact Person and by Global Supply Chain Leaders as their 2018 Compassionate Executive of the Year.
Mann holds an MBA from the University of Phoenix, Houston Campus, and a bachelor’s degree from Jacksonville University.
“We are thrilled to welcome Bruce Mann to the RCR Rail Co’s leadership team,” said Hydie McAlister, Principal. “His expertise in freight mobility, strategic operations, and business development, combined with his deep commitment to industry innovation and customer satisfaction, makes him the perfect addition to drive our company forward.”
STV
STV on March 24 announced the promotion of two key transportation leaders as it continues to grow its presence in the Carolinas. Andrew Fisher, PE, has been elevated to Vice President and South Carolina Area Manager; and Patrick Livingston, PE, has been named Vice President and Raleigh Area Manager.
“Andrew and Patrick step into these leadership roles with a wealth of strategic vision, technical expertise and commitment to excellence,” said Terry Snow, PE, vice president and Carolinas district manager at STV. “As they guide our local teams and projects forward, I am confident that STV will continue to deliver outstanding results for our clients across the region.”
Fisher brings more than 18 years of experience in transportation design, planning, permitting and project management, with a portfolio spanning local community-focused infrastructure improvements to multi-billion-dollar interstate initiatives in the alternative delivery market. In his new role as South Carolina Area Manager, he will lead STV’s efforts in delivering high-impact projects that “enhance mobility and economic development across the region.” Previously serving as STV’s Roadway Group Leader in South Carolina, he has worked closely with agencies such as the South Carolina Department of Transportation (SCDOT), North Carolina Department of Transportation (NCDOT) and Georgia Department of Transportation (GDOT).
Livingston has been an integral member of STV’s transportation team for nearly 12 years, leading the successful planning and execution of complex roadway, bridge and transit projects for NCDOT and various municipalities. As Raleigh Area Manager, Livingston will continue to champion STV’s growth in North Carolina, “leveraging his collaborative leadership style and deep technical expertise to drive project success, foster client relationships and support his team’s professional development.”
Additionally, STV announced that Sean Pulsifer, AIA, LEED AP, has been promoted to Architectural Discipline Leader within the firm’s national Buildings group.
A vice president at STV, Pulsifer will now oversee STV’s architectural practice nationwide, “driving design excellence in the execution of all architectural work.”
Pulsifer brings more than 30 years of experience specializing in architectural design, technical detailing, project execution and management, having led multi-disciplinary teams delivering client-focused solutions throughout the U.S. Northeast. Since joining STV, he has touched projects across the higher education, healthcare, science, commercial and transportation markets, “bringing creative vision and technical expertise to complex building designs.”
Pulsifer holds a Bachelor of Architecture from the University of Oregon and a Master of Fine Arts in Design from the California College of the Arts. He is a longstanding member of the American Institute of Architects (AIA).
“Sean’s collaborative leadership and deep understanding of design and technical excellence make him an invaluable asset to our team and our clients,” said Kim Vierheilig, AIA, LEED AP BD+C, President of the national Buildings group at STV. “As an integrated practice, we look forward to leveraging technology, digital transformation and innovation to deliver best-in-class solutions for our clients.”
