MARTA hires chief financial officer, assistant general manager of labor and employee relations

Jan. 20, 2021
General Manager/CEO Jeffrey Parker says the two experienced transportation industry professionals will help MARTA address ‘unique financial and union negotiating needs.

Jeffrey Parker, general manager and CEO of the Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority (MARTA), has added two people to his senior management team: Raj Srinath, the authority’s new chief financial officer and Patricia M. Lucek, the authority’s first assistant general manager of labor and employee relations.

“Raj Srinath and Patricia Lucek bring decades of experience to MARTA, with much of that being in the transportation industry which has unique financial and union negotiating needs,” said Parker. “We’ve got some hard work in front of us as the transit industry recovers from the impacts of the pandemic and I look forward to working closely with these new members of the team to ensure our financial house remains in order and that our essential frontline employees are protected and supported.”

Lucek has managed collective bargaining agreements and contract negotiations for large companies such as Macy’s and IKEA, as well as the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA) and Massachusetts Bay Commuter Railroad. She last worked as the director of labor relations for Areas USA.

“Lucek’s position as assistant general manager of labor and employee relations, and the recently announced position of deputy general manager, operations, filled by Collie Greenwood, were ones I created through a consolidation and reorganization of our senior management designed to better align the structure of the organization with our strategic objectives,” added Parker.

CFO Srinath comes to MARTA from the Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority in California, where he was deputy general manager and chief financial officer. Srinath has also worked in the financial departments of other major transportation agencies including the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority in Washington, D.C., Amtrak and US Airways.

Srinath’s experience in the public and private sector encompasses securing financing for large capital programs, formulating hedging strategies, managing relationships with investment banks and rating agencies, cash forecasting models and investment strategies.

Srinath reports directly to the CEO and begins work on Jan. 25. Lucek started at MARTA on Jan. 19 and will report to Chief Administrative Officer Luz Borrero.