Denver RTD Board of Directors selects finalists for RTD’s interim GM and CEO position

The Denver Regional Transportation District (RTD) Board of Directors has selected five finalists to be considered for the interim general manager and CEO position.

Current General Manager and CEO Dave Genova announced late last year that he would retire from Denver RTD on Jan. 20, after 26 years of service with the agency. The process to select an interim leader began immediately thereafter. After this work concludes, the board plans to pursue a nationwide recruitment for a permanent leader.

From a pool of more than 40 applicants, the board selected five preliminary candidates to interview for the interim position. All five individuals were selected in accordance with search and selection requirements and were interviewed during a special board meeting. The board is moving all five forward as finalists out of transparency and to give the public a chance to weigh in.   The board has reached consensus that the following candidates are finalists for the interim general manager and CEO position:

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

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, Denver RTD chief operations officer Ford joined RTD in January 2018 as chief operations officer, and he holds three decades of public and private transit experience in multiple states. Before joining Denver 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.

Mike Meader, Denver RTD chief safety and security officer Meader joined Denver RTD in August 2016 and brings more than 30 years of management experience. Prior to Denver 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,  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.

The board may conduct additional interviews if it chooses. Denver RTD can make an offer of employment to the selected finalist in two weeks after announcing the list of finalists.   During the two-week waiting period, the public can provide comments to the Denver RTD Board by contacting their Denver RTD Board member or the Denver RTD Board Office.