MTA's new CEO gets a public debut Thursday

The press office at the Metropolitan Transportation Authority must be awfully confident that the board of directors is going to approve Art Leahy as the new CEO on Thursday: It just announced a news conference will be held Thursday at 10 a.m. to introduce the new CEO.

The board is meeting before the news conference to vote on a contract for Leahy, who is currently the CEO of the Orange County Transportation Authority. As we've reported for the last week, Leahy is the finalist set to replace the retiring Roger Snoble.

Text of the news release is after the jump. And, by the way, MTA flacks, there's few places more difficult to interview someone than a moving bus.

-- Steve Hymon

The text of the MTA press release:

WHAT:
Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa and other Metro Board members will hold a news conference to introduce the new Metro CEO, who will be the point person for tackling Los Angeles County’s traffic by overseeing dozens of new highway and public transit projects financed by the federal stimulus package, and the new Measure R half-cent sales tax for transit. At the same time, the new executive, who will replace retiring Metro CEO Roger Snoble, must balance Metro’s budget in the face of stiff state budget cuts for transit. The introduction will be made immediately following a special Metro Board meeting where a new CEO’s contract will be finalized. (The meeting will be held in closed session.)

WHEN:
Thursday, March 5, 2009
10 a.m.

WHERE:
Metro Headquarters Building
One Gateway Plaza (Patsaouras Bus Plaza in front of building)
Los Angeles     corner of Cesar Chavez and Vignes downtown

WHO:
L.A. Mayor & Metro Board Chair Antonio Villaraigosa
Other Metro Board Members
Retiring Metro CEO Roger Snoble
The newly hired Metro CEO

VISUAL:
Following the press conference, the new CEO will be available for one-on-one media interviews on a bus or Metro Rail.

Comments

[Randy Binz]

How can he balance MTA's budget when he can't balance OCTA's budget except on the backs of the employees? Maybe he's just another do anything to get richer CEO.

[J in Pasadena]

Just replace "awfully confident" with "sure the fix is in".

[VICKY]

After hearing that Art Leahy was going to replace Roger Snoble, I felt that there would finally be some hope for MTA. But then I read and heard some negative things that were very disturbing. I want to believe that Mr. Leahy would and could clean up the mess left behind by Roger Snoble. I was employed as a Bus Operator at RTD/MTA on July 18, 1981. I truly looked forward to my well deserved big retirement party on August 17, 2005. Guess what? I had to go out on medical way before then. I have been fighting MTA's workers' comp since 1991. I have yet to receive my benefits which includes my mileage yet! I've been awarded my Social Security disability and my Medical retirement but MTA has refused to pay and continues to ignore my letters, calls, etc. I lost EVERYTHING because of MTA's illegal workers' comp practices. During the fight, my son was murdered. You talk about insensitive practices and praticioners...Man, it is only God that didn't cause workplace issues like that experienced by many disgruntled employees. I am hoping that Mr. Leahy who knows first hand the B.S., we, Bus Operators, and other employees go through when we're injured, would straighten out these problems. There are so many injured MTA workers who gave the best service of their lives only to be dissed by a practice not fit for a snake. I want to congratulate Art Leahy on what I feel he will do because he understands. Please Mr. Leahy, former co-worker of mine, do the right thing! As I close, I PUBLICLY ask you to not only resolve my cases but other cases, as well. I, along with others need CLOSURE! Let's prove those negative forces wrong, and prove MTA's choice for you as its new CEO Right! Thanks!!!!