TriMet announced General Manager Sam Desue Jr. has promoted Andrew Wilson to executive director of the Safety and Security Division. Wilson will oversee four departments including Safety, Security, Transit Police, and Environmental Services. He will lead all safety and security practices and activities. Wilson also be tasked with advancing workplace safety efforts and will direct the safe delivery of TriMet’s services and construction projects.

Wilson’s first day in this new role will be Jan. 3.

Wilson has been with TriMet since 2016, serving as its director of Risk Management and, earlier in 2021, as interim director of Safety and Environmental Services. His predecessor, Marla Blagg, retired in November 2021.

“Andrew has proven himself a critical member of the TriMet team, providing excellent leadership and direction in risk management as well as crisis management,” said Desue Jr. “His decades of experience in identifying, managing and reducing risk and his commitment to safety will benefit our riders, employees and the communities we serve."

For the past five-and-a-half years, Wilson managed TriMet’s Risk Management department, supervising the liability claims team and serving as its agency’s leading resource for risk analysis, insurance, and provided expert assessment of all construction improvement projects.

During his time at TriMet, Wilson created the agency’s first Enterprise Risk Register, developing an online portal capturing high impact risks, and their associated mitigation strategies. He also reduced the overall expenses in the Risk Management Department by almost $1 million through the application of effective risk management litigation and claims expense management.

Wilson led TriMet’s COVID-19 response during part of 2020, as well as its operations during the wildfire/hazardous air quality events that year.

“TriMet service has had a huge impact on my life and being able to work for the transit provider I grew up riding has been an amazing experience,” said Wilson. “As the leader of TriMet’s safety and security team, I am dedicated to working alongside our outstanding employees to provide safe transit options for our community as we incorporate our new safety initiatives for a system that’s welcoming for all.”