Florida's HART names new CEO

Florida’s Hillsborough Area Regional Transit Authority (HART) board of directors voted unanimously to name Benjamin Limmer as the authority's new CEO. During the regular HART Board of Directors meeting the board authorized HART general counsel to begin contract negotiations with Limmer who is currently the asst. GM for the Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority (MARTA).

In addition to his role as the primary advisor to the Authority's GM/CEO on strategic initiatives, development of expansion and service plans, and monitoring of the authority's overall performance, Limmer also lead a team of 200 employees in the areas of MARTA's customer service, external affairs, marketing, policy, planning, and business development.

Before joining MARTA, Limmer held transit leadership positions at the Atlanta BeltLine Inc. and the City of Atlanta, Valley Metro, and the Regional Transit Authority in Cleveland.

HART participated in a rigorous search process to ensure the Authority found the best possible leader to take it forward. Executive search firm Krauthamer & Associates aided HART starting in early November when the Hillsborough County voters approved a one-cent sales tax for transportation improvements in November.

Limmer replaces interim CEO Jeff Seward who has been serving for well over a year since former CEO Katharine Eagan left the agency to lead the Port Authority of Allegheny County, Pittsburgh area's transit agency.