The Northern California Chapter of the Conference of Minority Transportation Officials (COMTO, NorCal) announces the first of its Summer Panel Series on Keys to a Successful Transportation Industry. The first panel titled "Executive Leadership — Moving to the Top: So You Want to Become a General Manager/CEO?" will be held on Thur., June 23, 2011 at 5:30 p.m. at Scott's Restaurant in Oakland's Jack London Square.
William D. Smith, former president and CEO of Parsons Brinckerhoff Quade and Douglas, will lead a discussion on executive leadership between Nathaniel P. Ford, Sr., executive director/CEO of San Francisco Municipal Transportation Authority (SFMTA), Deborah Ale Flint, director of aviation, Port of Oakland; and Miguel Galarza, president, Yerba Buena Engineering and Construction.
Debra A. Johnson, president of COMTO, NorCal, and director oAf administration, Taxis and Accessible Services at SFMTA, was pleased at the caliber of the participants in the panel discussion noting that. "The event attendees are in for a lively discussion on the secrets of success to moving to the highest levels in both the private and public sectors of the transportation industry."
The panel participants have combined over five decades of experience in the transportation industry and include:
Panel Moderator
William D. Smith, former president and CEO of Parsons Brinckerhoff Quade and Douglas (PBQ&D), one of the oldest and largest of the entities comprising the PB group of companies. He was responsible for an annual budget of $500 to $700 million and a staff of more than 3,000 employees with approximately 1,700 infrastructure planning and design projects, including transit and rail systems, highways, bridges, tunnels, airports, ports and water resources facilities
Panelists
Nathaniel P. Ford, Sr., executive director/CEO, San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency (SFMTA) has over 26 years of extensive public transportation experience managing multiple lines of complex business operations, joint ventures and strategic public/private partnerships. Ford joined the SFMTA in January 2006. The SFMTA presently manages and operates the city's ground transportation network including: pedestrians, bicyclists, transit (Muni), traffic, and parking and regulates the city's taxi industry.
Deborah Ale Flint, director of aviation, Port of Oakland, was appointed as the director of aviation at the Port of Oakland April, 2010. As aviation director, Ale Flint is the primary executive responsible for the operation, management and business development of Oakland International Airport. Prior to her role as director of aviation, Ale Flint was the assistant aviation director and led the operation of the airport.
Miguel Galarza, president, Yerba Buena Engineering and Construction, has 27 years experience in multimillion-dollar civil, environmental, and wetlands, projects. He has estimated, negotiated and managed projects incorporating special expertise in utility distribution systems, structural concrete, and marine construction. As president, Galarza has grown Yerba Buena Engineering from it inception in 2002 from 350,000 in sales to current project revenue of $15 million in sales, and employing 75 people.
The event cost is $40 for COMTO members, $50 for non-members and $10 for students with I.D. Admission includes dinner and no-host bar. Please RSVP to Christina Verdin by phoning 510-817-5869 or via e-mail at [email protected]. Visit www.comtonorcal.org to pay via PayPal.
