SacRT GM/CEO Wiley to retire earlier than planned

Written by Jenifer Nunez, assistant editor

The Sacramento Regional Transit District (SacRT) General Manager and Chief Executive Officer Mike Wiley plans to accelerate his retirement date from December 2016 up to August 1, 2016, when Henry Li takes over the position.

 

In October 2015, Wiley announced his intention to retire in December 2016, which would cap a nearly 39-year career with SacRT and ensure a smooth transition to a new GM/CEO.

The SacRT board of directors also included a personal services contract to take advantage of Wiley’s institutional knowledge both for the transition and the opening of the Golden 1 Center, as well as to fulfill his obligations as chair of the Executive Committee of the California Transit Association (CTA) until November 2017.

On June 13, 2016, the SacRT board of directors approved the employment agreement for Li as SacRT’s new GM/CEO. Li, who will begin his tenure on July 1, 2016, is an experienced transit executive who had the opportunity to work for SacRT, as a member of the executive management team, for three months before he was selected as the new GM/CEO.

Given Li’s high level of experience, and SacRT’s current fiscal challenges, SacRT says Li and Wiley have agreed that the position of special assistant is not essential to a successful leadership transition. Pending board approval on June 27, Wiley is willing to advance his retirement date to August 1, 2016, which will result in a significant cost savings to SacRT in Fiscal Year 2017 and will result in additional cost savings in future years in the form of reduced supplemental retirement benefits.

In November 2015, Wiley was elected as chair of the Executive Committee of the CTA for a two-year term ending in November 2017. He was selected by the 24-member CTA Executive Committee, because of his experience and knowledge of the transit industry in the capital region. Wiley is a strong advocate for SacRT and the CTA chair position is pivotal at this time, says SacRT.

Wiley’s 15-month personal services contract would be capped at $25,000, although there is no guarantee or requirement that SacRT will utilize his services.

“Four decades of service to SacRT is a commendable achievement,” Jay Schenirer, board chair, stated. “This is a testament to Mike’s dedication and unwavering commitment to public transit and the Sacramento region.”

 

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