Yucaipa Mayor Dick Riddell takes the helm of the Omnitrans board of directors effective July 1, 2011. Ontario council member Alan Wapner was elected to vice chair at the June 1 board meeting. Both will serve a two-year term.
Riddell succeeds board chair Penny Lilburn, mayor pro tem of Highland. The 20-member Omnitrans board consists of the county board of supervisors and elected officials representing the 15 cities Omnitrans covers.
A 16-year member of the Omnitrans board of directors, Riddell took over as vice chair in March 2011, following the resignation of Upland Mayor John Pomierski. Riddell is an active member of the board's Plans and Programs Committee. His city worked closely with Omnitrans to bring the Yucaipa Transit Center from concept to reality, opening in July 2010. Riddell also serves on the Sanbag board of directors.
Wapner has served as an Omnitrans board member or alternate since May 2000. He was appointed chair of the Administrative and Finance Committee in July 2010. Wapner has been on the Ontario City Council for 16 years. He is known in the region as an expert on transportation planning and has served on the League of California Cities and the National League of Cities and numerous other regional boards.
"We are fortunate to have leaders of such high caliber in Dick Riddell and Alan Wapner guiding Omnitrans' governing body. Both have significant history with our agency and a wealth of knowledge about regional transportation issues," said agency CEO/general manager Milo Victoria. "We look forward to their leadership as we continue our mission to provide safe, convenient, and reliable transportation service to the valley."
