Following an international candidate search and careful review process, the TransLink Board of Directors has selected a new chief executive officer, Kevin Desmond. He assumes the role March 21.
Desmond is currently the General Manager of King County Metro Transit, overseeing a large regional transit system with strong parallels to Metro Vancouver. He’s been with King County since 2004, which serves the Seattle metropolitan region with a mix of transit modes, including buses, trains, vanpools and paratransit service.
“We look forward to welcoming Kevin Desmond to TransLink, which will benefit from his expertise and leadership,” said Don Rose, chair of TransLink Board of Directors. “His experience — including public votes on transit funding and the introduction of a light rail line – and his emphasis on collaboration with customers and local stakeholders will be invaluable as we move forward.”
During his tenure, Metro Transit launched light rail and streetcar service, several bus rapid transit lines, grew transit ridership by 44 per cent, and rolled out the ORCA Card – much like TransLink’s Compass Card. Desmond has also been part of three successful votes on transit funding, including the most recent successful Seattle transit ballot initiative in 2014, which is allowing Metro Transit to expand service, address customer demand, and combat overcrowding.
“Kevin Desmond’s long record of leading growing transit systems will be a significant asset to our region as we work together to secure urgently-needed new investments for transit and transportation infrastructure,” said Gregor Robertson, chair of the Mayors’ Council on Regional Transportation. “We look forward to welcoming him as TransLink’s new Chief Executive Officer, and to collaborating in a variety of ways to keep building a transportation network that is more effective, efficient, and customer-focused than ever before.”
Desmond built his career in the public sector, beginning in New York City and most recently in Seattle. He holds a master’s degree in public administration from New York University.
The CEO's annual salary will be $365,000, which is in the mid-range of the compensation plan approved by the Mayors’ Council in October 2015. For the first year only, Desmond will receive a housing allowance of $1,500 per month.
