At a special meeting of its Board of Directors Thursday, Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (Metro) appointed Jack Requa as interim GM/CEO, and commended the service of GM/CEO Richard Sarles, who is retiring on January 16. Requa, who joined Metro in April 1998, is currently the Assistant General Manager for Bus Services.

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“We are confident that Mr. Requa will effectively partner with the Board to advance our safety programs including Fatigue Management, move forward on FY16 budget and capital funding discussions, and advance Metro’s Customer Care initiative, as well as ensure that we stay on track to strengthen our compliance efforts,” said Board Chairman Tom Downs.  “We deeply appreciate Jack’s leadership at this important time for the Authority.”

Downs said that the executive search to identify qualified transportation professionals for the GM/CEO position is well underway, and the Board expects to make a final selection early this year.

The Board also commended the extraordinary service of Richard Sarles to Metro since 2010. The resolution recognized that under Sarles’ leadership, WMATA rebuilt its safety culture, reducing employee injuries for four consecutive years; advanced Metro Forward capital investments that improved safety, reliability, and increased escalator availability to a five-year high; opened the Silver Line, and greatly improved Metro’s communication with its customers. The Board also credited Sarles for his work to develop Momentum, the Authority’s strategic plan.