Trinity Metro promotes Bob Baulsir to serve as president and CEO
The Trinity Metro Board of Directors in Fort Worth, Texas, has named Robert Baulsir as the agency’s new president and chief executive officer, effective April 15, 2019. He will succeed Paul Ballard, who is retiring in April.
Ballard, who supports the board’s decision, said “Bob is an integral part of our leadership team, and I can’t imagine anyone more suited to move into this role. Shortly after I moved to Fort Worth, I recruited Bob to serve as vice president and project director of TEXRail. I knew he was the right person for the job then, and I feel the same way now.”
Baulsir joined Trinity Metro in 2014 as TEXRail project manager before being named senior vice president. Trinity Metro credits Baulsir with keeping the TEXRail project on schedule and under budget and also notes that in addition to overseeing the new commuter rail line, he is responsible for procurement, facilities management and information technology.
Board Chair Scott Mahaffey said Baulsir is the ideal choice for this role.
“No one is more suited to step in and lead Trinity Metro into the future. We have the rare opportunity to promote from within and to benefit from Bob’s vast experience and expertise,” he said.
Baulsir has more than three decades of trans experience, including overseeing rail development, construction, rail facilities and bus rapid transit. He has managed transit system procurement, operations and maintenance facilities and safety and security. His past experience also includes tours as general manager of administration for the Nashville Metropolitan Transit Authority and the Regional Transportation Authority of Middle Tennessee.
“The board feels that Bob Baulsir has been preparing for this role in the four years that he and Paul Ballard worked together at Trinity Metro,” Mahaffey said. “Their focus and planning has been in sync, and we know Bob can carry that vision forward to benefit our region.”
Mischa Wanek-Libman | Group Editorial Director
Mischa Wanek-Libman is director of communications with Transdev North America. She has more than 20 years of experience working in the transportation industry covering construction projects, engineering challenges, transit and rail operations and best practices.
Wanek-Libman has held top editorial positions at freight rail and public transportation business-to-business publications including as editor-in-chief and editorial director of Mass Transit from 2018-2024. She has been recognized for editorial excellence through her individual work, as well as for collaborative content.
She is an active member of the American Public Transportation Association's Marketing and Communications Committee and served 14 years as a Board Observer on the National Railroad Construction and Maintenance Association (NRC) Board of Directors.
She is a graduate of Drake University in Des Moines, Iowa, where she earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Journalism and Mass Communication.