SamTrans undergoes management reorganization

Written by Jenifer Nunez, assistant editor

The management team at SamTrans is being restructured to improve the operating efficiency and the administrative functions of SamTrans, Caltrain and San Mateo County Transportation Authority.

 

The new executive management team provides greater focus and alignment and establishes clear lines of responsibility with higher visibility for core functions.

Rather than have bus and rail in a single department, the functions have been elevated to direct-report positions, reinforcing the critical place these services have in the organization.

The new Chief Operating Officer/Rail will be Michelle Bouchard, who starts in her new position September 28. The position of Chief Operating Officer/Bus is currently vacant and will be filled by an internal-only recruitment.

The Finance Division will be a stand-alone division headed by a chief financial officer who reports directly to the general manager and chief executive officer. This position will be filled by an external recruitment. A recruiting firm will be hired to conduct a nationwide search for this crucial position.

In addition to all the traditional finance functions, contracts and procurement will now reside in finance, reflective of a function that has at its core the allocation and expenditure of agency funds.

Deputy CEO/ chief administrative officer
administration also will return as a stand-alone division that reports directly to the general manager/CEO. Deputy CEO Gigi Harrington will take on this new assignment. She will retain her Deputy CEO position, befitting her continuing overall deputy duties and additional responsibilities for the special projects she is shepherding.

To unify and enhance the communications and critical interactions that occur internally and externally, with the community and with customers, the Public Affairs and Marketing/Customer Service departments will be merged under the leadership of the newly-created position of chief communications officer reporting directly to the general manager/CEO. This position will be filled with an internal-only recruitment and is expected to be filled by late September.

The chief officer, planning, grants and the transportation authority (TA) position is being renamed to more accurately reflect the current flow of work and responsibilities. The TA team has worked closely with the planning team over the past several years. Now, this department will have full authority over the TA activities. April Chan will continue as chief officer, retaining her existing responsibilities with the additional oversight for the TA.

The chief officer, Caltrain planning and modernization position is unchanged and will continue to be led by Marian Lee.

The executive officer, board secretary/executive administration position’s title has been adjusted slightly to align it with the reorganization plan. The functions and responsibilities are unchanged and will continue to be led by Martha Martinez.

Deputy CEO, Organizational Support/Special Projects
Chuck Harvey, will remain as a Deputy CEO in a transitional position, delaying his planned retirement at the request of the general manager/CEO. He will assist in the continuing evaluation and implementation of the reorganization, support the chief operating officers of bus and rail and overseeing certain ongoing capital projects and programs.

Senior Advisor, Strategic Initiatives
Mark Simon will assume this new position, serving as the general manager/CEO’s representative internally and externally

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