Two Former AC Transit Executives Honored

Oct. 21, 2014
GM Mary King and Chief Service Planner Cory LaVigne awarded for excellence in public transportation.

AC Transit’s former General Manager Mary King and Cory LaVigne, the agency’s former service development and planning director, will be honored by the Metropolitan Transportation Commission (MTC) for their “exceptional contributions to Bay Area transportation” during a public ceremony on Oct. 22.

King has been given the 2014 Grand Award in recognition of her leadership as chair of the Bay Bridge Design Task Force that oversaw the public involvement process and selection of the unique self-anchored suspension element (SAS) for the new East Span of the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge. The new bridge has increased the reliability of the region’s transportation network immensely and the SAS is the span’s marquee element.

“Mary’s job managing the Bay Bridge Task Force was sort of like being ringmaster of a three-ring circus,” noted MTC Executive Director Steve Heminger.  “Mary was a really gifted public official. She is really smart, very funny and incredibly quick on her feet.”

LaVigne has been honored posthumously with Greta Ericson Distinguished Service Award for his long-term, career achievements in transportation. The awards committee was swayed by LaVigne’s impressive and wide-ranging 21-year public service record as everything from bus driver in Illinois to chief transportation planner for AC Transit. In addition, the committee found “Cory was highly regarded, respected and loved by his co-workers, colleagues (and) peers…”

Together, King and LaVigne have amassed a truly incredible record in politics and public service. They will be among 17 people, projects and organizations to be honored by the Metropolitan Transportation Commission on Oct. 22, during the “Excellence in Motion” awards ceremony.