Andrew Wilson has been promoted to be TriMet’s executive director of the Safety and Security Division, effective Jan. 3, 2022. He has served in the role in an interim basis following Marla Blagg’s retirement in November 2021. He will oversee four departments including Safety, Security, Transit Police and Environmental Services and will lead all safety and security practices and activities, including the agency’s reimagining public safety initiatives. He’ll also be tasked with advancing workplace safety efforts and will direct the safe delivery of TriMet’s services and construction projects.
“Andrew has proven himself a critical member of the TriMet team, providing excellent leadership and direction in risk management as well as crisis management,” said TriMet General Manager Sam Desue Jr. “His decades of experience in identifying, managing and reducing risk and his commitment to safety will benefit our riders, employees and the communities we serve.
For the past five-and-a-half years, Wilson managed TriMet’s Risk Management department, supervising the liability claims team and serving as our agency’s leading resource for risk analysis, insurance and provided expert assessment of all construction improvement projects. During his time at TriMet, Wilson created the agency’s first Enterprise Risk Register, developing a comprehensive online portal capturing hundreds of high impact risks, and their associated mitigation strategies. He also reduced the overall expenses in the Risk Management Department by almost $1 million through the application of effective risk management litigation and claims expense management.
Wilson’s leadership has also proven essential elsewhere at TriMet. He headed up TriMet’s COVID-19 response during part of 2020, as well as our operations during the wildfire/hazardous air quality events that year. He also led a multidivisional group that completed TriMet’s first Carbon Audit, in support of the agency’s climate objectives.
“TriMet service has had a huge impact on my life and being able to work for the transit provider I grew up riding has been an amazing experience,” said TriMet’s new Executive Director of Safety and Security Andrew Wilson, who grew up in Gresham. “As the leader of TriMet’s safety and security team, I am dedicated to working alongside our outstanding employees to provide safe transit options for our community as we incorporate our new safety initiatives for a system that’s welcoming for all.”
Prior to TriMet, Wilson worked in the insurance industry where he honed his skills in risk mitigation, safety and customer service since 2001. He completed the ENO Transit Executive Program in 2018. He received his bachelor’s in history, political science and peace studies from George Fox University and his Masters in History from the University of Manchester, United Kingdom.
