People on the Move: TARTA, Waymo

The Toledo Area Regional Transit Authority (TARTA) and Waymo have made new appointments to their respective leadership teams. 

TARTA refines organizational structure 

TARTA has refined its organizational structure to strengthen operations and prepare for the future. The agency has named Rick Bailey as deputy CEO, Susan Gettum as chief planning and program officer and Sam Melden as chief communications and customer experience officer. 

"Over the last five years, TARTA has proven what is possible when a community invests in mobility and when a team leans all the way in,” said TARTA CEO Laura Koprowski. “This organizational alignment is a continuation of disciplined growth and a commitment to serving our region with excellence for decades to come. As we enter our 55th year, we are building the structure, the talent and the capacity required to deliver on our vision. This is an exciting moment for our organization, and I'm honored to be a part of it." 

Bailey arrived at TARTA in 2023 from the Southwest Ohio Regional Transit Authority (SORTA), where he was the director of transit operations. Prior to his time at SORTA, he served 13 years at the Dayton Regional Transit Authority. Under his guidance, the customer experience and mobility management teams nearly doubled the number of yearly travel trainings and public events conducted by TARTA, welcomed new customer service software and designated mobility management vehicles, secured new state grant funding, shepherded a complete rebrand of paratransit services and helped lead TARTA to its highest customer satisfaction scores in decades. 

In 2024, Bailey led the effort as TARTA Move became the first transit agency department in Ohio to become a Certified Autism Center. TARTA Move is also the first paratransit agency in Ohio to utilize electric vehicles, according to the agency. 

"This organizational alignment makes us better operators and better partners to our riders, our employees and our community,” Bailey said. “By sharpening roles and strengthening coordination across departments, we are setting clear expectations and building the systems necessary to sustain performance as our services grow. I look forward to listening to our teams, supporting their leadership and ensuring that TARTA continues delivering a reliable, modern mobility system for all." 

In these new roles, Bailey will oversee all transportation and maintenance operations, along with capital project delivery and system performance; Gettum will lead the planning department; and Melden will guide the customer experience and mobility management teams, in addition to continuing his leadership role of the communications staff. 

The Information Technology Department will report to Chief Financial Officer James Karasek. All transportation services (fixed route, TARTA Move paratransit and TARTA Flex on-demand) will now report to COO Charles Odimgbe 

TARTA notes the changes come at a time of growth for the agency, which has experienced increases in fixed-route ridership each year since the pandemic. Ridership is up 15 percent on regular service in 2025, and TARTA’s fixed-route buses provided 200,000 trips in four consecutive months for the first time years. 

“These changes are about being ready for the future and giving every member of team TARTA the structure to support their best work,” Koprowski said in a statement to TARTA employees. “Our goal is simple: a stronger TARTA that serves our community even better.” 

Waymo names new chief financial officer (CFO) 

Waymo has named Steve Fieler as its next CFO.  

Fieler brings nearly 30 years of financial experience to Waymo. The company says he has a track record of helping companies—from early-stage ventures to global enterprises—scale, transform and achieve financial success. 

Most recently, he was a key member of Google’s CFO leadership team, where he served as vice president of planning, BizOps, investments and investor relations. He also previously held the role of business finance officer for Google's Platforms and Ecosystems unit, responsible for products, including Android and Chrome. 

Prior to his time at Google, he served as CFO at HP. His career also includes CFO and leadership positions at various early-stage companies, work as a private equity investor and tenure at General Electric.