RTD Selects Paul Ballard As Interim General Manager & CEO

DENVER (CBS4) - The Regional Transportation District announced Paul Ballard will take over as Interim General Manager of the agency Tuesday night. The search began late last year when outgoing leader Dave Genova announced his retirement.

Ballard retired in April 2019 from Trinity Metro, which serves the Fort Worth, Texas, and its surrounding areas. Prior to that, he was CEO of the Nashville MTA and Regional Transportation Authority of Middle Tennessee. For more than four decades, Ballard has served as a general manager, CEO or president of public- and private-sector transit systems.

Genova retired from RTD on Jan. 20, after serving 26 years with the agency. Earlier this month, RTD announced five finalists for the interim position, which were narrowed from a pool of more than 40 applicants. RTD's Board of Directors will now begin a nationwide search for a permanent replacement.

Contract negotiations with Ballard are currently underway. Officials with RTD plan to announce a start date for the interim position soon.

RTD's Board of Directors will designate up to $200,000 to fund activities associated with an executive search. RTD officials said the funds could be used for the use of an executive search firm, communications outreach and external legal counsel to conduct negotiations for both the interim and permanent general manager and CEO positions.

"Any funds not spent at the close of the search will be returned to the reserve account from which they came," said RTD Spokesperson Lisa Trujillo.

Board Chair Angie Rivera-Malpiede said she was impressed with Ballard's experience, leadership and ideas. In a statement Tuesday night, the board said they believe he is well-suited to guide RTD through the transition until a permanent leader is named.

"My Board colleagues and I think that Mr. Ballard will skillfully lead us into RTD's next era while also ensuring that the agency's employees remain focused on their service to the public," Rivera-Malpiede said. "On behalf of every Board member, we want to thank the community for its input as part of this process. We look forward to working with him in the months ahead."

Below are the four finalists who were considered for the interim general manager position:

Amy Ford, Director, Mobility on Demand Alliance

Ford is director of the Intelligent Transportation Society of America's Mobility on Demand Alliance. She came to this role from the Colorado Department of Transportation, for which she was chief of advanced mobility and executive lead for the RoadX program and director of communications.

Michael Ford, RTD Chief Operations Officer

Ford joined RTD in January 2018 as chief operations officer (COO), and he holds three decades of public and private transit experience in multiple states. Before joining RTD, Ford served as CEO of Regional Transit Authority of Southeast Michigan, in Detroit; CEO of Ann Arbor Area Transportation Authority; Chief Operating Officer and Assistant General Manager of the San Joaquin (California) Regional Transit District; and Director of Transportation Operations and Executive Advisor to the General Manager at TriMet, in Portland.

Mike Meader, RTD Chief Safety and Security Officer

Meader joined RTD in August 2016 and brings more than 30 years of management experience. Prior to RTD, his leadership roles included director of transportation solutions for Qognify/NICE and vice president of global accounts and safety programs for CINTAS. Meader served as a pilot and safety officer with the U.S. Air Force.

Jackie Millet, P.E., Mayor, City of Lone Tree

Millet has served the City of Lone Tree as mayor for four years and eight years prior as city council member and mayor pro tem. Prior to that, she served as a planning commissioner. She is a registered civil engineer as well as chair-elect and a board member of the Denver Regional Council of Governments of which she has been a part for 10 years.