Denver RTD adds to its senior leadership team

Denver Regional Transportation District General Manager Phillip Washington noted the completion of recruitments for several key RTD positions. These recruitments have been under way since February as part of GM Washington's reorganization and restructuring of the agency, and will not require an increase in headcount.

Richard Clarke was named assistant general
manager of capital programs to provide leadership and direction to all RTD
capital projects and programs including the FasTracks program. He has more than
25 years experience in the public transportation and rail industries. He has
worked in both the public and private sectors with extensive experience in
project management, systems integration, project controls and operations
planning. He has successfully managed some of the largest and most complex
projects in the country, including the $1.7-billion, multi-modal Transportation
Expansion project (T-REX) in the Denver metro area; the $1-billion Light Rail
Build-out project in Dallas; and the $860-million, 20-mile Light Rail Starter
System (again in Dallas). He also served in increasingly responsible positions
for agencies such as New York’s Long Island Rail Road, Greater Cleveland
Regional Transportation Authority, Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority,
Port Authority Trans-Hudson (PATH) and SEPTA in Philadelphia.

He has a Master of Science
Degree in Engineering from the University of Pennsylvania and a Bachelor of
Science Degree in Economics also from the University of Pennsylvania

Delbreath Walker was selected
for deputy assistant general manager of capital programs. Walker, a professional
engineer, has more than 24 years experience in the public and private sectors
with extensive experience in project management and transportation engineering.
He has successfully managed very large projects, to include, as deputy project manager,
the $1.7-billion, multi-modal Transportation Expansion project in the Denver metro
area and the $180-million Pioneer Crossing Design-Build project in Salt Lake
City, Utah. He has a Bachelor’s Degree in Civil Engineering from the University
of Colorado. He is also a certified Professional Engineer or PE.  Del is
to oversee the day-to-day implementation of the FasTracks investment program.

William Van Meter was named
assistant general manager of planning to provide key functions in the District’s
pursuit of the Full Funding Grant Agreement for the Eagle P3 project and the
continued aggressive pursuit of any and all additional capital program funding.
He has more than 20 years experience in planning and has much to do with RTD
being on the path to secure $1 billion in full funding grants. He oversaw the
full funding grant process for the West Corridor, which consisted of preparing
some 300-plus required documents. In large part due to his leadership and
diligence, the District received $308 million for the West Corridor. Van Meter
has a Master of Arts Degree in Economic Geography from the University of
Illinois and a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Economic Geography also from the
University of Illinois.

The recruitment for the assistant general manager of rail operations is expected to be completed within
the next 30 days. With a significant portion of rail operations moving towards
commuter rail, RTD needs both commuter and light rail expertise in leading RTD
rail operations.