Following a 48-minute executive session (non-public discussion) during a special meeting, members of the Sound Transit Board‘s Executive Committee have just voted unanimously in favor of a CEO candidate, without identifying them by name. Search consultant Gregg Moser reported having about 60 people apply (including some that he recruited), 15 who met qualifications, narrowed that down to five semifinalists, then three finalists, whom the board identified publicly only as A, B, and C, voting unanimously today for C. Now board reps will negotiate an employment agreement with candidate C, bringing it to the full board on March 27.
The recommendation for permanent CEO comes 14 months after the last permanent ST CEO, Julie Timm, left; she had held the job 16 months. Goran Sparrman has been serving as interim CEO. The executive session in today’s meeting was preceded by a public-comment period which drew seven written comments summarized as opposing choosing King County Executive and ST Board member Dow Constantine – the only candidate whose name has been made public (Moser explained the need for confidentiality in a national search) – as CEO, plus three “live” commenters, one of whom voiced support for Constantine, another who stressed choosing someone who would “prioritize nailing the fundamentals” of service, and another who urged board members to have a more “transparent” process.
ADDED: Several board members made comments before the vote, but none gave overt hints at the winning candidate’s identity. They mostly discussed their hopes for the new CEO – Auburn mayor Nancy Backus, for example, said the new CEO must be committed to “get(ting) the spine built.”
| 15 COMMENTS