MARTA Board selects Keith Parker to be new GM

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TheMARTA board of directors Thursday picked Keith Parker, who is currently thechief of VIA Metropolitan Transit in San Antonio to become the new generalmanager for the transit system when Beverly Scott leaves at the end of the yearfor a similar position with the Boston transit system.

MARTABoard Chairman Fred Daniels said Parker has a reputation for working withRepublicans as the general manager in San Antonia. He hopes that will help innegotiations with Georgia’s GOP-dominated Legislature, which provides nofunding for MARTA.

Keith Parker

“He hasworked well with both the business community and the political community,”Daniels said. “He has a track record in San Antonio of working with bothRepublicans and Democrats. Same thing in Charlotte.”
Almostimmediately after news of Parker’s selection broke in Atlanta, the San AntonioExpress-News reported on its website that Parker plans to meet with the VIABoard of Trustees at a special meeting next week.  
Parkerwas hired at age 32 to head the Vancouver, Wash., transit system, but he hasnever run a system as large and complex as MARTA, the ninth-largest publictransportation system in America. Parker now is 46. After Vancouver, he hasworked in Charlotte and now San Antonio.
InAtlanta he likely would have a better compensation package from the $310,000 hemade this year in San Antonio. Scott’s current total compensation is more than$370,000 a year.
Danielssaid the board would be negotiating a contract with Parker and the compensationwas still under negotiation.
Parkerbeat out finalist Steve Bland, the transit chief in Pittsburgh. Both were amongseven candidates interviewed by the board search committee from a short listcompiled by the executive search firm Heidrick & Struggles.
For amore complete story from the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, go here.