TriMet General Manager Fred Hansen to pursue other opportunities

Written by jrood

February 14, 2001 After more than 11 years, TriMet General Manager Fred Hansen said that he will be leaving the Portland, Ore., agency at the end of his contract to pursue other opportunities. He released the following statement regarding his announcement: "After 11.5 years at TriMet, I have decided to pursue other opportunities. And although the Board of Directors for whom I work hoped I would stay longer, I have informed them that I will leave at the end of my current contract, June 30, 2010.

"My time at TriMet has been
the most rewarding of my professional experiences. This is because the work
here combines a great mission-making this Region the most livable and transit
friendly area possible-with the greatest set of dedicated employees. The
Secretaries of Transportation and Housing and Urban Development, Members of the
Federal and State Senate and House of Representatives and any number of other
transportation leaders across the country have held TriMet up as the gold standard.
Time and time again, when visitors come here to see what we do and how we do
it, the highest form of praise comes forth:  ‘How can we be like you?’

"As I look back over my
tenure, I am especially proud of a number of accomplishments:

• Opening three light rail
lines and well along the way in the planning and design of a fourth (Airport
MAX Red Line, Yellow Line and Green Line, and launching Portland-Milwaukie
Light Rail Project). 

• Moving from four to 16
Frequent Bus Lines.

• Significantly expanding
employment of minorities and women as well as their participation in all our
construction projects.

• Being the first transit
agency to be chosen by Google to develop Google Transit Maps.

"With these accomplishments
and a host of others TriMet has truly made a difference in how this Region
looks and moves. There are always things we can improve, and certainly the current
recession that has rivaled the Great Depression has been difficult, but nothing
can take away these accomplishments. I am so very proud to have led TriMet
during this time.

"As I look to the future, I
will be considering several opportunities to promote greener technology in the
transportation field and furthering the connections among land use,
transportation and climate change in the regional, national and global arenas.
I also intend to continue and expand my volunteer work. I am honored to have been
a part of this effort. Thank you."

Hansen has served as
TriMet’s General Manager since October 1998 after serving four years as Deputy
Administrator of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.  Hansen also directed the Oregon
Department of Environmental Quality from 1984-1994, served as Oregon’s Deputy
State Treasurer, Executive Officer of the Peace Corps and as Chief of Staff to
a Member of Congress from Oregon.

A native of Beaverton,
Ore., Hansen graduated Phi Beta Kappa from the University of Oregon, earned a
master’s degree from McMaster University and completed a year of doctoral work
at the Johns Hopkins University.

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