Management

Kevin Quinn will be TransLink’s next CEO

May 19, 2021

Quinn’s first day will be July 19 to allow him time to relocate to Metro Vancouver from the Baltimore area.

Kevin Quinn will begin his new role as CEO of TransLink on July 19, 2021.

TransLink Board of Directors has appointed Kevin Quinn to serve as the agency’s next chief executive officer. Quinn will begin the role on July 19, 2021, and relocate to Metro Vancouver, British Columbia, from the Baltimore, Md., area.

“We look forward to welcoming Kevin Quinn to the TransLink enterprise, which will benefit from his bold, innovative and customer-centered approach to leadership,” said Tony Gugliotta, chair of TransLink’s Board of Directors. “As TransLink prepares to welcome back more customers to transit and launch a robust ridership recovery plan, we are thrilled to have Kevin lead TransLink into its next chapter.”

As TransLink CEO, Quinn will lead the post-pandemic recovery, with an emphasis on rebuilding ridership, achieving financial sustainability, supporting employees and continuing to deliver a reliable transportation system for Metro Vancouver.

TransLink recently launched a new round of engagement for Transport 2050, which will develop a blueprint for the region’s transportation for the next 30 years. Additionally, provincial and municipal officials held a virtual groundbreaking ceremony on May 14 for the Broadway Subway Project, which will extend the SkyTrain Millennium Line 5.7 kilometers (3.5 miles).

Officials noted there are parallels between TransLink and Maryland Transit Administration (MTA), where Quinn currently serves as administrator and CEO. He oversees one of the largest multi-modal transit systems in the United States serving more than 100 million passengers annually among its bus, subway, light rail, paratransit and commuter bus and rail modes.

While leading MTA, Quinn focused on customer experience and employee engagement, overseeing the development of customer-facing real-time tracking technology for local bus and commuter rail service and introducing the agency’s first mobile payment app. Quinn served as director of planning and programming at MTA before he was appointed as administrator and CEO in 2017. While in this position, he was responsible for implementing a complete overhaul and rebranding of the core transit system, known as BaltimoreLink, which included the introduction of new, high-frequency bus lines.

Quinn will succeed Gigi Chen-Kuo who served as interim CEO following the resignation of Kevin Desmond, who led TransLink for five transformative years of growth and expansion.

About the Author

Mischa Wanek-Libman | Editor in Chief

Mischa Wanek-Libman serves as editor in chief of Mass Transit magazine. She is responsible for developing and maintaining the magazine’s editorial direction and is based in the western suburbs of Chicago.

Wanek-Libman has spent more than 20 years covering transportation issues including construction projects and engineering challenges for various commuter railroads and transit agencies. She has been recognized for editorial excellence through her individual work, as well as for collaborative content.

She is an active member of the American Public Transportation Association's Marketing and Communications Committee and serves as a Board Observer on the National Railroad Construction and Maintenance Association (NRC) Board of Directors.

She is a graduate of Drake University, where she earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Journalism and Mass Communication with a major in magazine journalism and a minor in business management.