Metro's board of directors has selected its top candidate for general manager: Neal Cohen, an executive with experience in aviation, manufacturing and education, News4's Adam Tuss reports.
The Metro board of directors has made its choice, Tuss said. The contract is still being finalized.
Cohen's 30-year career has spanned accounting, financial analysis and investor relations, according to a profile by Bloomberg. He has been an executive for companies including Northwest Airlines, US Airways and Sylvan Learning Systems. He hold degrees in finance, economics and law from the University of Chicago.
One transportation official told News4 he believes the new general manager needs to be allowed to change the strategic direction of the agency without being micromanaged by the board.
With rider frustration at an all-time high, many industry experts and riders believe now is the time for Metro to get its finances, safety and reliability back on track.
"It may not just be a transit expert, it may need to be a general manager who can oversee all of those implementation plans," Washington Board of Trade CEO Jim Dinegar said.
It's time to put the polish back on Metro, Dinegar said.
