|
MTA
CEO JULIAN BURKE
ANNOUNCES
PLANS TO LEAVE AGENCY MTA Board Chair and Los
Angeles County Sup. Yvonne Brathwaite Burke today expressed a mixture of
gratitude and regret upon hearing that MTA CEO Julian Burke plans to leave
the MTA later this year once a successor is in place. “I don’t think
it’s an understatement to say that Julian Burke transformed the MTA,”
Sup. Burke said. “This is a much more stable agency and one that has a
much better customer focus
than the MTA that existed before Julian became CEO 3 ½ years ago,”
Burke said. Sup. Burke cited the
chief executive’s achievements in shoring up MTA finances, rebuilding
its credibility with its funding partners in Sacramento and Washington,
overhauling the Metro Bus system, and completing the last leg of the Metro
Rail subway within budget and six months ahead of schedule among his many
accomplishments at the MTA since he was hired as CEO in August 1997. CEO Burke said he loves
the job but feels the time is right to find a new CEO to lead the agency.
However, Burke pledged to stay fully committed to MTA until a successor is
chosen. An executive recruiting firm has been selected to conduct a
search, a process that could take several months or longer. Once the MTA
Board hires his successor, Burke said he would be pleased to serve as an
advisor to the new CEO as long as it is felt he is needed. Burke said working at
the MTA has been the most enjoyable challenge of his long working career.
Before joining the MTA, he was a successful corporate turnaround
specialist with Victor Palmieri Associates for more than 20 years. At MTA Burke helped
steer the agency through a series of major milestones including efforts to
shift more resources toward overhauling the Metro Bus system. More than
1,000 new buses already are in service with more than 1,000 more being
ordered, and a record amount of Metro
Bus service is on the road including the new Metro Rapid buses. MTA-004 |