King County Metro was named by the Conference of Minority Transportation Officials (COMTO) as Washington state’s Public Agency of the Year for our commitment to equity and service.
The award, presented April 26, was a wonderful endorsement of Metro’s efforts to promote diversity and to serve the community fairly and equitably, said General Manager Michelle Allison.
“I was honored to accept this award on Metro’s behalf,” Allison said. “I am proud to work alongside talented, committed professionals of color at every level of our organization. At Metro, our 40 COMTO member employees are networking, relationship-building, partnering and mentoring to transform our agency and the industry on the inside and out. Through professional associations like COMTO, together we can walk our talk to strengthen, diversify and empower transportation professionals of color today and into the future.”
COMTO is a national organization that supports employment diversity, inclusion and contracting opportunities within the transportation industry.
The award was well deserved, said Grantley Martelly, president of the Washington COMTO chapter and Chief Operating Officer of Pierce Transit.
“King County Metro has been a supporter of COMTO in this state since the very beginning,” Martelly said. “Metro has never failed to show support to this organization.”
“Metro deliberately centers equity in all of our work,” said De’Sean Quinn, Metro’s Assistant General Manager of Partnerships and Strategy. “The wealth of perspectives and experiences that a diverse workforce offers drives innovation and excellence in public transportation”.
“We are committed to opportunity for all, whether it’s for those using transit or for our employees at every level, from operators and mechanics to our highest leadership,” added Quinn. “COMTO is a key to our growth in this critical area, because it allows employees to collaborate with their diverse peers who have chosen service in transportation as a calling.”
