The Greater Dayton Regional Transit Authority (RTA) has selected Bob Ruzinsky as the deputy chief executive officer (DCEO).
In his new position, Ruzinsky is responsible for all RTA day-to-day departmental functions, including all actions for the three primary work groups in the agency: Operations, Finance and Customer & Business Development. His primary responsibility as the DCEO will be the implementation of RTA’s mission, goals and policies through daily operations and strategic planning, and he will lead an effort to develop a new strategic plan for the agency in the coming months.
“Bob’s experience and depth of knowledge of our industry, coupled with his track record of leadership and accomplishment, have prepared him well for this promotion,” said RTA CEO Mark Donaghy.
Ruzinsky began his career with RTA in 1987 in the agency's accounting group and quickly moved up through the department, holding various positions including senior accountant, accounting supervisor, human resources manager, controller and capital controller. In 2002, he joined the Butler County Regional Transit Authority as the chief financial officer, started a successful consulting business, and worked with his mentor Carla Lakatos at her firm, the Lakatos Group. He specialized in working with numerous transit systems on projects to help them improve finances and operations. In 2009, Ruzinsky returned to Dayton, Ohio, as part of the RTA's finance team to assist with the agency’s grants management.
In 2013, Ruzinsky was promoted to be RTA’s first chief capital officer, where for the past six years he has led a team to oversee the management and replacement or rebuilding of RTA's physical assets, including buses, real estate holdings and leased properties. Under his guidance, RTA is on track to replace the entire bus fleet, renovate all its facilities and rebuild its extensive electric-bus, power-system infrastructure. This multi-year, more than $200 million dollar project is being funded in part by over $70 million in competitive grants that Ruzinsky’s efforts has secured for RTA over the past ten years.
Ruzinsky has also been a leader in RTA’s four consecutive FTA Triennial Reviews with zero deficiencies found, Donaghy said.
In the spring of 2019, the Ohio Public Transit Association recognized Ruzinsky’s accomplishments with the Leonard Ronis Award, naming him the Transit Professional of the Year in Ohio.
