Summary
King County Executive Dow Constantine thanked King County Metro General Manager Rob Gannon for his service as he steps down at the end of July to take a position in Montana. Deputy General Manager Terry White will serve as Interim General Manager starting August 1. White began his Metro career in 1987 and currently oversees all Metro Operations, including bus, rail, and marine service; facilities; and vehicle maintenance.
Story
Following a distinguished four-year tenure as general manager that included leading King County Metro to be named the Best Large Transit Agency in North America, General Manager Rob Gannon is stepping down to take a position as chief financial officer for the city of Missoula, Mont.
“I want to thank Rob Gannon for leading King Country Metro with his steadfast service, his core commitment to providing transit where needs are greatest, and his vision for an agency devoted to overall mobility,” said Executive Constantine. “When Metro won Best Large Transit Agency in North America during Rob’s tenure, it recognized what King County residents already knew: that one of the great advantages of living here is a safe, equitable, and sustainable mobility agency that connects all our residents to community and opportunity.”
Gannon oversaw the transformation and restructure of Metro from a transit division to a full King County department. Under his leadership, Metro outlined a path for operating and growing transit to reduce congestion, tackle the climate crisis, and make mobility accessible and affordable for everyone—especially communities of color, people with lower incomes, and customers with disabilities.
Prior to becoming general manager in October 2016, Gannon served as Metro’s Deputy and Interim General Manager from 2013 to 2016. Before that, he served as Human Resources Manager for the King County Department of Transportation from 2011-2013.
Most recently, Gannon led Metro through the COVID-19 pandemic. From the earliest days of the crisis, Metro put the safety of passengers, employees, and community members first. The agency implemented swift changes—from daily disinfecting to passenger limits to physical distancing to mask requirements to employee leave policies—that led with King County’s values while keeping our region moving forward.
Executive Constantine has appointed Deputy General Manager Terry White to become Interim General Manager when Gannon steps down at the end of July. White began his Metro career in 1987 and possesses both an unparalleled knowledge of the agency, and a heartfelt and highly personal connection to its employees and customers. White oversees all of Metro Operations, which includes bus, rail, and marine service, facilities, and vehicle maintenance. White also has served at Metro as a transportation planner, customer service administrator, communications superintendent, and managing director of bus operations.
Across the Puget Sound region, Metro provides bus, vanpool, and water taxi services, and operates Seattle Streetcar, Sound Transit Link light rail, and Sound Transit Express bus service. Prior to COVID-19, Metro delivered more than 400,000 trips every weekday and roughly half of downtown commuters rely on transit.
This media release was originally posted to the King County Press Office’s Executive News.
(continuation of my previous post)
King County Metro is full of hand picked and truly unqualified individuals who are trying to paint a picture of harmony in order to cover up their deceptions.
Rob will go back to his non-diversified comfort zone and we will be left with the smoldering ashes of harmed employees’ remains.
Now let’s see what positions suddenly open up overnight. Don’t hold your breath for change, CPR is not an option here. .
This is what happens when we keep hiring from outside our own state for such major positions. I’m sure that some may not agree but there is more than enough evidence to prove my point.
When someone comes from a place lacking diversity and is put in a position of heading programs designed to promote equity and social justice, the end result should be obvious. What experience did Rob Gannon have in dealing with diverse populations? The complaints of racism and discrimination within the workforce despite programs being in place should come as no surprise.