Former MARTA CEO joins Grande West board of directors
Keith Parker is currently the president and CEO of Goodwill of North Georgia, and previously served as CEO/GM of the Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority.
Keith Parker has joined Grande West's board of directors.
Grande West Transportation Group
1 min to read
Keith Parker has joined Grande West's board of directors.
Grande West Transportation Group
Grande West Transportation Group announced the addition of Keith Parker to its board of directors.
Parker is the president and CEO of Goodwill of North Georgia, which spans 60 stores, 58 donation centers, and 13 career centers. Parker took the role in October 2017.
Ad Loading...
Prior Goodwill, Parker served as CEO/GM of the Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority (MARTA) until September 2017. During his transit career prior to MARTA, he served as CEO and president of VIA Metropolitan Transit and CEO at the Charlotte Area Transit System.
Parker won Texas CEO of the Year Awards in 2011 and 2012. The American Public Transportation Association (APTA) recognized him as an Outstanding Public Transportation Manager in 2015. METRO Magazine named Parker as one of its 20 Most Influential People of the Decade.
A native of Petersburg, Va., Parker was appointed to the Virginia Commonwealth University Board of Visitors by Governor Terry McAuliffe in 2016. Parker received VCU’s Alumni Star Award in 2015.
Parker served on the board of directors for Goodwill of San Antonio and Goodwill of North Georgia. He holds an MBA from the University of Richmond, as well as a master's degree in urban and regional planning and a B.A. in political science from Virginia Commonwealth University.
The region’s fixed-route system finished out the year with a total of 373.5 million rides. Adding 12.3 million rides over 2024 represents an increase that is equal to the annual transit ridership of Kansas City.
The service is a flexible, reservation-based transit service designed to close the first- and last-mile gaps and connect riders to employment for just $5 per day.
The upgraded system, which went live earlier this month, supports METRO’s METRONow vision to enhance the customer experience, improve service reliability, and strengthen long-term regional mobility.
The agreement provides competitive wages and reflects strong labor-management collaboration, positive working relationships, and a shared commitment to building a world-class transit system for the community, said RTA CEO Lona Edwards Hankins.
The priorities are outlined in the 2026 Board and CEO Initiatives and Action Plan, which serves as a roadmap to guide the agency’s work throughout the year and ensure continued progress and accountability on voter-approved transportation investments and essential mobility services.