St. Louis Metro names new president and CEO

The St. Louis Metro's Board of Commissioners selected John Nations as its new president and CEO.

Nations, a partner in the
St. Louis office of Armstrong Teasdale and currently in his third term as mayor
of Chesterfield, Mo., will succeed Robert Baer in late October. Baer has served
as president and CEO since December 2007. Nations will step down from his
positions at Armstrong Teasdale and the City of Chesterfield prior to assuming
his new role at Metro.

"John Nations has a track
record as a proven political leader. He is deeply committed to regional
cooperation, and understands the critical role that public transit plays in
supporting economic activity and development in our region," said Vince
Schoemehl, chairman of Metro’s Board of Commissioners. "We deeply appreciate
the dedication and service of Bob Baer, who has done so much to restore public
trust and accountability in Metro and laid the foundation for our efforts to
build a sustainable future for public transit services in the St. Louis region.

"John Nations’ recent
leadership as head of the Proposition A campaign demonstrated his ability to
bring people together to address the needs of Metro’s diverse stakeholders,"
Schoemehl added. "We are excited to have him on board."

As the new top executive
of Metro, Nations will seek to strengthen the link between public transit and
economic development in the St. Louis region.

"Public transit is the
lifeblood of the St. Louis region, including the suburban communities," Nations
said. "I see Metro as the catalyst for attracting and retaining jobs, and I am
committed to working with local leaders in business, retail, government and
education to make that vision a reality. Whether it is by bus, rail or through
our Call A Ride services, Metro will be leading the way in boosting the
economic health of the bi state region."

Nations received a B.S.
in public administration from the University of Missouri-St. Louis, and his law
degree from Saint Louis University. Included among his recent accomplishments
and civic activities are:

• Advance St. Louis
(successful April 2010 campaign to fund public transportation in St. Louis
County), chairman
.

• Bi-State Development
Agency/Metro Long Range Plan Advisory Committee, member
.

• St. Louis County Economic
Development Collaborative, founding member
.

• St. Louis County
Municipal League, member and past president
.

• East-West Gateway
Council of Governments, board of directors.

Schoemehl said, "We invited
community leaders to be part of the discussion about the new president’s role.
Those leaders and the Board saw great value in finding a leader who could build
coalitions and build upon transit’s role in the economic strength and vitality
of the region. John Nations is that person."