St. Cloud, Minn.’s Metro Bus CEO Ryan I. Daniel, was awarded the prestigious Gerald Anderson Member of the Year Award in front of over 700 attendees at the 51st Conference of Minority Transportation Officials (COMTO). The 2022 national meeting and training conference was held in Fort Lauderdale, Fla.

The award honors “a COMTO member who has demonstrated commitment to the philosophy that “the success of one is contingent upon the success of all.” This award is COMTO’s way of honoring great service and the value of teamwork within the transportation industry nationwide. It is given to a pioneer who ensures growth and development within the transit industry, and its surrounding communities.

COMTO is the voice for equity in transportation. It is the leading national advocate for diversity, inclusion, and contracting opportunities in the multimodal, multi-billion dollar transportation industry. Their mission is to eliminate barriers to maximum participation for minority individuals, veterans, people with disabilities, and certified Minority, Women, Disadvantage Businesses, and Enterprise businesses through leadership training, professional development, scholarship, and internship funding, political advocacy, partnership building, and networking opportunities.

Daniel has been a member of COMTO’s Emerging Leaders Subcommittee, as a program manager for the last five years. The program has a stated goal to “empower leaders to assume individual and collective responsibilities for positive change in the community.” He continues to be instrumental in the success of minorities in the workplace, and in the community by serving as an Advisory Board Member for the Jugaad Leadership program.