California-based AC Transit has appointed Assistant GM Mary King as interim GM, taking the place of Rick Fernandez, who is leaving after 13 years with the agency. AC"s board of directors tapped King to head the agency while it engages in a search for a permanent replacement.

"I pledge to the entire board that I will do my best to continue the implementation of your policy," said King who thanked the board for its confidence in her. "First, we must keep in mind that we are here to serve the taxpayers of Alameda and Contra Costa counties, and the customers of AC Transit who rely upon safe and dependable transportation services."

A longtime community and political leader, King brings an impressive list of personal and professional accomplishments to the job. Most notably, she is a former member of the Alameda County Board of Supervisors where she was committed to improving economic conditions and social services to lower income residents. She became a champion of land-use issues, developing and introducing a major approach that became known as the "King Plan."

She has also served on numerous local, regional and state committees and boards including the Metropolitan Transportation Commission, the Attorney General's Commission on Hate Crimes and the Bay Area Air Quality Management District. She spearheaded the Measure B campaign, the county-wide sales tax measure that brought dedicated funding to public transportation.

King is the former president of the Association of Bay Area Governments and, while serving as a MTC commissioner, was chair of the Bay Bridge Design Task Force. This year, she was given the Lifetime Achievement Award by the Northern California Chapter of the Conference of Minority Transportation Officials.