King County Metro executive Dow Constantine announced the retirement of King County Metro GM Terry White, and the nomination of Metro Deputy GM Michelle Allison to lead the agency after White’s retirement at the end of the year.

White joined Metro in 1987 as a customer service specialist and held 13 positions prior to becoming GM.

“On behalf of the people of King County, I want to thank Terry White for over 35 years of exemplary service, and especially for leading Metro through the unprecedented challenges of the pandemic,” said Constantine. “When Terry was Deputy General Manager, Metro was awarded Best Large Transit Agency in North America. Then, as General Manager, he pushed the agency to lead the world in safety, equity, and sustainability.”

In 2022, Metro said it was recognized by the Federal Transportation Administration (FTA) as the country’s most equitable transit agency in tackling climate change. The agency also hosted the flagship conference of the American Public Transportation Association (APTA).

“It has been an honor to serve our region and to lead our incredibly committed and skilled Metro employees,” said White. “In recent years, I am most proud of our work alongside community members to embed equity and sustainability into Metro’s long-term, strategic planning. The successes of my life and my career are testament to the life-changing potential of transit. Metro has an even brighter future ahead of it and I look forward to seeing it continue to unfold.”

Allison’s appointment is subject to the approval of the King County Council. Allison joined King County 12 years ago and Metro six years ago. As the agency’s second-in-command, she currently oversees Bus Operations, Facilities, Vehicle Maintenance, Marine, and Rail Divisions.

“It’s a great honor to be chosen to lead an agency that is the beneficiary of a supportive region, talented employees, and a true community of riders,” said Allison. “I’m looking forward to further strengthening those relationships as together we ensure transit is everyone’s first choice for getting where they need to go. Meeting our vision of safe, equitable, and sustainable transit demands that we build a workforce that fully represents the communities we serve, and that we work hand-in-hand with riders and neighborhoods to meet their needs.”

Ernest Kandilige will serve as interim deputy general manager while a national recruitment is conducted.