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
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• Bi-State Development Agency/Metro Long Range Plan Advisory Committee, member
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• St. Louis County Economic Development Collaborative, founding member
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• St. Louis County Municipal League, member and past president
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• 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."