Accelerate - 2015 year in review

ACCELERATE The quarterly newsletter for the Conference Of Minority Transportation Officials

2015 Year in Review

Board Chair’s Message PAGE 3

Leadership Message PAGE 5

COMTO Delivers Successful Conference PAGE 6

CLI Day at Harvard PAGE 8

CITY Interns at Harvard PAGE 10

CITY Interns Class of 2015 PAGE 11

Mentoring PAGE 13

2015 Industry Award Winners PAGE 15

Thank You to our Sponsors PAGE 16

COMTO Holds Successful Transportation BrainTrust PAGE 18

COMTO Moving Forward PAGE 20

Accessing COMTO HUB Members PAGE 21

DBE Corner PAGE 22

Morgan Family Legacy PAGE 23

Garrett Morgan Day PAGE 25

Membership Growth & Retention PAGE 26

Welcome New Members PAGE 27

Members on the Move PAGE 28

COMTO Chapter Presidents PAGE 32

COMTO Delivers Successful, History Making Conference

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Board Chair’s Message Honoring our Legacy, Celebrating our Successes and planning our future

COMTO Family, We are about to celebrate 45 years of Moving the Nation. As we prepare to enter 2016, let us first remember what it has taken for COMTO to reach this point. We need to Honor our Legacy. All of us are standing on the shoulders of everyone who came before us. I, personally, need to thank Bob Prince, Shirley DeLibero and Julie Cunningham for their brilliant leadership over the years. We are looking toward the future as we welcome our new President and CEO, Mioshi Moses.

Without a doubt, the past two years have been among the most difficult in our history.

However, with our new President, and with strong support from across COMTO, we are still standing and standing strong.

I am confident that we will remain strong.

COMTO’s history book project – The Color of Leadership: Four Decades of Leveling the Playing Field in the Transportation Industry – has served us well as both a strategy and a product. It was very instrumental in our fundraising for Boston. We need to ensure that we continue to share and update as we proceed, because we are living history, make no mistake about that. Our main Conference video is based on the history book. We preserve our legacy by capturing the thoughts and actions of our members for future generations, through the history book and through our very own Studio71, which was named to reflect the year COMTO was founded.

Just over the past five years, since our critical Strategy Session in Philadelphia, COMTO has made major progress. This is where we Celebrate our Successes. We created some impressive programs and initiatives, like Studio71, which has improved our marketing efforts greatly. Others include:  the Careers In Transportation for Youth (CITY) internship program, a workforce development pipeline for the industry as well as preparation for our next generation of leaders. Not only has the CITY program garnered national acclaim, it has opened new doors and generated new and deeper partnerships for COMTO.  the TCRP Ambassador Program, a partnership with APTA, through which we manage dissemination of the latest reports and studies of the transportation industry’s best practices.  Celebrating Women Who Move the Nation. Coming up on its 5th Anniversary, this is one of our Signature events. As you know, this was Julie’s brainchild and has become a recognized and illustrious occasion.  the COMTO Leadership Institute (CLI), which now serves as our professional development arm. Under CLI’s umbrella are all the programs related to helping our membership rise professionally. It includes our Scholars, Interns and Emerging Leaders.

The 2015 National Meeting and Training Conference in Boston was well done, our best ever. It was amongst the most substantive and history making conference COMTO has had to date. Holding the CLI Day at Harvard University with Dr. Charles Ogletree as host, plus having a former and current U.S Secretary of Transportation together proved an important and historic moment for COMTO. Not that the Boston Conference was without its challenges. It was the most difficult to deliver given the horrible weather and conflicted politics. Still, we did it. I have to give the national staff tremendous credit and all of the COMTO members who stepped up to help. We did it!

The National Conference was also the debut of COMTO’s new President & CEO, Mioshi Moses, who received a warm COMTO welcome.

2015 Year in Review | ACCELERATE 3

Next Steps Part of what makes COMTO so successful is the fact that it is still here, 45 years since that day at Howard University. A key reason for that is in the Planning for our Future.  Without fail, the number one priority – always – is to raise more funds.  We also are in the process of updating our Strategic Plan, Expanding to more modes, and Conducting outreach to more agencies and organizations.  We will continue to strengthen the Board and our committee structures.  We will make sure the new CEO is onboarded strategically.  We will stay on track with our programs, initiatives and special events.  We will continue to advance the CLI.  We will continue to grow our membership.  We will find more jobs for businesses and DBEs. We look to conduct regional workshops for DBEs and Small Businesses.  We will celebrate the 5th anniversary of Women Who Move the Nation in spectacular style.  Likewise, we will celebrate COMTO’s 45th anniversary in incredible fashion and where else to do that but in Texas!

We look to make our 2016 National Meeting and Training Conference in Dallas even better than Boston! That’s a tall order but I have no doubt we will succeed.

Let’s Remember Our History, Enjoy Our Present, and Plan Our Future

Warren Montague, National Board Chair

4 COMTO | Moving the Nation

Message from COMTO Leadership Soaring to new Heights As we celebrated COMTO’s 44 years of helping to level the playing field, we know the best is still unfolding. Already, we have new, forward thinking initiatives taking shape. COMTO is charting a fresh, innovative, and expanding course for itself. We are witnesses to living history; the beginning of a new era for COMTO. U.S. Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx challenges us to Be Bold! Indeed we will. COMTO’s voice will be heard, solely and in concert with our many partners, especially on all of the issues outlined by Secretary Foxx in an interview with our senior executives and to our conference attendees. Take a look at the needs and challenges of the country’s infrastructure. Note that COMTO Chapters across the nation participated in the Stand Up For Transportation Day of Advocacy and strongly support Congress voting for long term funding of this country’s transportation needs. Add your voice and join us!

This year, our 44th National Meeting & Training Conference in Boston became our most successful ever, with close to 1,000 transportation professionals and industry leaders in attendance. It was jam packed with workshops, forums, guest speakers, and multiple networking opportunities. Introduced by former U.S. Transportation Secretary Rodney Slater, Secretary Foxx delivered a stirring keynote speech during the opening plenary and then transformed it into a Town Hall meeting. What an incredible moment!

This year contained a lot of firsts. The Day at Harvard, provided by the COMTO Leadership Institute (CLI) and hosted by Harvard Law Professor, Dr. Charles Ogletree, proved an incredible and historic kickoff to the Conference.

In addition to our Youth Debate, our Ladders of Opportunity Seminar on Education and Transportation, Dr. Ogletree moderated a lively and interactive Transportation Symposium on issues of Race, Politics and Policy.

Continuing the dialogue, additional Regional Transportation Symposiums are being planned.

Once again, the Conference held its CEO Summit, for both public and private sectors, and new this year, another first, was a “View from the Boardroom” session. This exclusive and candid discussion among women executives, led by Amtrak’s Rina Cutler and Parsons’ Jannet Walker, was an unqualified success.

Each year, our Careers In Transportation for Youth (CITY) intern class just gets better and better. The largest to date, this year’s class worked in 19 of our chapters and the success stories abound.

Our Scholarship Awards luncheon culminated a year of incredible giving, more than $400,000 nationwide and our Industry Awards Banquet provided the perfect ending.

Join COMTO as we continue to help move the nation.

This is an exciting time to be a part of the COMTO Family.

As always, we thank you for your continued support.

Warren Montague National Board Chair

Mioshi Moses President & Chief Executive Officer

2015 Year in Review | ACCELERATE 5

COMTO Delivers Successful, History Making Conference Transportation Industry Professionals Talk Access, Growth and Opportunity More than 900 transportation CEOs, professionals and other industry leaders gathered in Boston this past July at the Conference Of Minority Transportation Officials’ (COMTO) 44th National Meeting and Training Conference.

Massachusetts Transportation Secretary and CEO Stephanie Pollack and Boston Mayor Martin Walsh served as honorary conference chairs as transportation professionals from across the country came together to network and build on this year’s national conference theme: Growing America: Embracing Innovation, Inspiring Leaders and Bridging Opportunities.

COMTO’s 44th annual conference, hosted by COMTO Boston, focused on the future, by addressing some of the very same concerns on which the advocacy organization was founded.

Mayor Walsh thanked COMTO for bringing its national conference to Boston. “It’s a sign of progress when a major professional organization of people of color chooses our city,” said Mayor Walsh, referring to Boston’s reputation, continued from its confrontational school desegregation days. He called COMTO’s presence “symbolic.”

The Honorable Anthony Foxx, U.S. Secretary of Transportation, delivered a stirring keynote speech at the conference’s opening plenary session, calling on COMTO to use its voice in support of Congress passing a solid, long-term transportation funding plan.

Introduced by former U.S. Transportation Secretary Rodney Slater, Secretary Foxx used his own life story as proof public transit can transform lives.

Secretary Foxx then turned from his remarks to take questions from the audience, transforming the session into a Town Hall Meeting.

The Secretary’s message was one carried over from COMTO’s signature Day At Harvard. The historic daylong event, provided by the COMTO Leadership Institute (CLI) and hosted by Harvard Law School’s Dr. Charles Ogletree, the Jesse Climenko Professor of Law, kicked off COMTO’s national conference. “This is CLI coming to life before our very eyes. It is a dream come true,” said CLI’s Executive Director Shirley DeLibero, noting the first launch of CLI workshops.

Dr. Ogletree moderated a Transportation Symposium panel, whose members included: James Cole, General Counsel, U.S. Department of Education; Tom Glynn, CEO, MassPort; Diana Mendes, Senior Vice President, AECOM; Adiele Nwankwo, Senior Vice President, WSP|Parsons Brinckerhoff; Terry Ruhl, President, Transportation Division, CH2M; Robert Roach, General Secretary-Treasurer, International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers; and Peter Rogoff, Under Secretary of Transportation for Policy, USDOT. The Symposium, along with the day’s other sessions: a Youth Symposium; an Education and Transportation Connection workshop; as well as a candid discussion with Mr. Cole, Dr. Ogletree, and noted attorney Ben Wilson; all delved into today’s pivotal issues, with frank discussions to promote access, opportunities and strategies, to level the playing field for the next generation.

COMTO interns received some sage advice from panel members on the CLI Ladders of Opportunity: Connecting Transportation with Education seminar at Harvard. Panel members included James Cole, General Counsel for the U.S. Department of Education; Barbara Gannon of GannonConsult; Antwayne Ford, President of Enlightened Corp; Terry Ruhl, President, Transportation Division, CH2M; and Dr. Bev Scott, former MBTA General Manager.

6 COMTO | Moving the Nation

Innovative ideas and future trends were also explored. COMTO envisions its CLI Day At Harvard as the first in a series of Regional Transportation Symposiums to be conducted throughout the year, sponsored by COMTO, in partnership with former USDOT Secretary, Rodney Slater. In addition, COMTO will put forward a call to action with recommendations for change and suggested strategies.

Speaking on the role transportation has played in the lives of African Americans, former Transportation Secretary Slater said “Transportation is at the heart of our journey from the Middle Passage to the Underground Railroad to the Montgomery Bus Boycott and the Edmond Pettus Bridge. It is the tie that binds,” he told a luncheon audience of industry CEOs and COMTO’s Careers In Transportation for Youth (CITY) interns, scholars and emerging leaders.

With a newly invigorated effort to ensure that conversations with transit agencies and state DOT’s promoting cutting edge policies include the best opportunities for Disadvantaged Business Enterprises (DBEs), conference organizers strategically weaved workshops, panels, and multiple networking sessions throughout the conference.

Rodney Slater, former U.S. Transportation Secretary

“The conference was enlightening, insightful, beneficial and valuable,” noted Thuston A Britt, C. P. M., Supplier Diversity Officer of Cubic Transportation Systems Inc. “I plan to attend the next conference and I want to do more to help,” he added.

In addition, the conference featured an Innovation Plenary Panel, with members from Google, MIT, and the National Highway and Traffic Safety Administration. The panel showcased multi-modalism, future urban mobility and how data is being used to drive emerging technologies to enhance customer service for transit and highway users.

At its annual Scholarship Awards Luncheon, held on the last day of the conference, COMTO awarded nearly $100,000 in scholarships to 21 students. New this year, in honor of COMTO’s late President Julie Cunningham, a Legacy Fund was established and scholarships in her name were awarded for the first time. In conjunction with its chapters across the country, COMTO awarded more than $400,000 in scholarships throughout the year.

The scholarship luncheon’s keynote speaker, Kai Kight, inspired with his original violin compositions as well as his life story and message. “Make a practice of defining your purpose. If life were a river, don’t just go with the flow. Set your own course and direction.”

COMTO’s Industry Awards Banquet provided the perfect ending, as 15 awards were presented to individuals and chapters for their outstanding work and contributions to the industry this year.

Other conference highlights included: § A CEO Summit- candid discussions on issues of the day § A View from the Boardroom- discussions among women executives § A Sunset Dinner Cruise on the Boston Harbor § Reflections- “Four Decades of Leveling the Playing Field: The Journey Continues”, a presentation, featuring Dr. DeForest B. Soaries, Jr. Conference Planning Programming Chair Renee’ Edwards said, “We made great strides in advancing the mission of COMTO. There was an emphasis on advancing the organization’s reach in all areas of the U.S. transportation multimodal system. The Boston Conference laid the groundwork for the continued success of our great organization.”

COMTO Dallas will serve as host for COMTO’s 45th National Meeting and Training Conference, July 8 - 12, 2016 at the Omni Hotel in Dallas, Texas.

2015 Year in Review | ACCELERATE 7

COMTO opens Conference with Historic Day at Harvard For the first time since it was founded on the campus of Howard University 44 years ago, the National Conference Of Minority Transportation Officials (COMTO) returned to college on July 11, 2015 to address some of the same concerns from yesteryear, but this time from a 21st Century perspective.

The setting was Harvard University, one of the country’s premier Ivy League institutions, where the COMTO Leadership Institute (CLI) held a series of frank discussions and educational seminars to promote access, opportunities, and strategies to level the playing field for the next generation of minorities in transportation. The historic daylong event, hosted by the CLI and Harvard Law School’s Dr. Charles J. Ogletree, the Jesse Climenko Professor of Law, opened COMTO’s 44th National Meeting and Training Conference in Boston.

The day encompassed everything COMTO stands for by providing a forum for senior level minority transportation professionals to discuss major issues facing the industry today, grooming the next generation of transportation leaders and planning for a call for action.

“I always wanted to say I went to Harvard. Now I can say it,” said Shirley DeLibero, CLI’s Executive Director, light-heartedly. DeLibero co-founded CLI together with COMTO’s late president, Julie Cunningham.

While the number of minority transportation executives has grown significantly since COMTO’s inception, public transit, the lifeline that transforms people from where they are to where they want to be, still faces many challenges. According to some of the country’s top public and private transportation leaders, those challenges include: Marvin Thomas

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Investing in an aging infrastructure to repair old highways, bridges, roads and overpasses while also building new ones.

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Building more rail capacity to carry some of the 70 million additional people America is estimated to have by 2050.

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Reauthorizing federal spending for surface repairs and improvements.

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Breaking the cycle of just fixing yesterday’s problems because funding to find sustainable, long-term solutions is limited.

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Eliminating silos so transit leaders can collaborate on regional and national transportation solutions.

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Cynicism about how federal dollars are allocated for transportation.

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Racial Disparities in pedestrian and bicycle fatalities as gentrification and housing costs push minorities out of urban America where access to public transportation is greater.

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Lack of funds on the local level to develop first class transit systems.

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Workforce development in aviation and transit.

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Not having a pipeline or the pay scale to retain talented employees, particularly as Baby Boomers retire in larger numbers.

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Partisan politics that could cut transportation funding when President Obama, who championed federal spending for infrastructure improvements, leaves office.

8 COMTO | Moving the Nation

Panelists for COMTO’s Transportation Symposium included Terry Ruhl, president of the Transportation Division at CH2M Hill; Adiele Nwankwo, Senior VP at WSP|Parsons Brinckerhoff; Diana Mendes, Senior VP, AECOM: Robert Roach, General Secretary-Treasurer of the International Aerospace Machinist Workers; Tom Glynn, CEO of MassPort; and Peter Rogoff, Under Secretary for Policy at the U.S. Department of Transportation. Dr. Ogletree, pictured in center, moderated.

While panelists urged COMTO to be proactive about lobbying for federal transportation dollars on Capitol Hill, they acknowledged that the next generation will be instrumental in carrying the mantle.

Grooming minorities for careers in transportation and mentoring emerging leaders was one of the themes of the CLI Day at Harvard. More than 60 COMTO CITY (Careers In Transportation for Youth) interns and scholars attended the symposium after listening to students from Boston Public Schools debate the pros and cons of having more minorities and women in positions of authority in public transit.

James Cole, General Counsel for the U.S. Department of Education

James Cole, General Counsel for the U.S. Department of Education, took the spotlight to underscore the importance of a quality education and urged COMTO to make their voices heard as Congress debates reauthorizing the No Child Left Behind act.

“Accountability has to be part of it,” Cole said, stressing the need to provide more resources for education, professional development for teachers and creating tools to assess whether children are being prepared to compete in a global economy.

He also encouraged COMTO to collaborate with members of Congress about the types of skills students need to have in the transportation industry so those skills and abilities can be incorporated in learning outcomes.

Enrolling in and completing college was also the message of the day to the CITY interns, and encouraging children at a young age to set those as goals.

With that, COMTO leaders agreed on an action plan for local chapters to work with schools and students before they enter high school to help them do better in school and to encourage them to enroll in college or a trade school after graduation. Mentoring young people was also a central theme.

“You have to think about successors,” Dr. Ogletree said. “Everybody should have a mentor and everybody should have a mentee.”

2015 Year in Review | ACCELERATE 9

CITY Interns Spend Day at Harvard At COMTO’s “CLI Ladders of Opportunity Seminar,” one of several sessions held throughout the day at Harvard Law School, CITY interns and emerging leaders received sage career advice from industry experts. The Day at Harvard kick started COMTO’s 44th National Meeting & Training Conference in Boston.

Esteemed panelists included James Cole, General Counsel at the U.S. Department of Education; Antwayne Ford, President and CEO of Enlightened, Inc.; Dr. Barbara Gannon, President of GannonConsult; Peter Rogoff, Under Secretary for Policy at the U.S. Department of Transportation; and Dr. Beverly Scott, former General Manager of the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority.

To compete in today’s job market, “it’s not enough to simply start college,” Cole said, “you have to graduate from college.”

Being armed with a degree from a college, university or technical school will lead to opportunities, but only those with “high-potential” will reach the top rungs on the ladders of success, he added.

Here’s what you need to be a high-potential person: •

Be passionate about what you do by having a vested interest in it. And be willing to change if your passion ebbs and flows as you go through life.

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Be transformative. It’s not about doing things right. It’s about doing the right thing.

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Be willing to listen and work with others.

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Be curious about ideas and be interested in people.

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Be persistent. Do not give up when you hit an obstacle. Continue to persevere.

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Be a critical thinker. Start off where everyone else has finished.

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Be open to help. Find a mentor, a coach and a sponsor to help guide you in your career.

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Be prepared to bring your “A” game at all times, in whatever you are doing.

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Be values centered and have integrity.

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Be ready with a Plan B, C, or D in the event the thing you like is taken over by technology.

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Be able to keep growing and knowing. Leaders are lifelong learners.

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Be an innepreneur before you become an entrepreneur. Do some soul searching to identify your personal brand.

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Be confident and authentic.

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Be bold. Push yourself and get back up when you fail.

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Be a giver. Reach out to help someone else like your mentor did you.

10 COMTO | Moving the Nation

CITY Intern Class of 2015 LOCATION

UNIVERSITY

MAJOR

ASSIGNMENT

Emory University

Mathematics & Computer Science

FTA

ATLANTA LINDSAY LAWSON AVERI DRUMMER

Spelman College

Economics, Industrial Engineering

FTA

KHAFRE POWELL

Morehouse College

Business Finance, Mathematics

FTA

BENJAMIN ALLEN

Syracuse University

Civil Engineering

AECOM

Howard Community College

Civil Engineering

FIRST TRANSIT

CLAUDIA ALIFF

Tufts University

American and Urban Studies

MASSDOT/MBTA

VANESSA JABAGIORIAN

Bridgewater State University

Business Marketing

FTA

NIKAO PARQUE

Chicago State University

Business

RTA

RYAN SPEESE

Washington University, Saint Louis

Anthropology/ Economics

RTA

ANDREA GOMEZ

California Polytechnic State UniversityPomona

Urban and Regional Planning

RTA

BALTIMORE BRIANNA LAWTON

BOSTON

CHICAGO

DALLAS JEFFREY AMOO

Prairie View A&M

Mechanical Engineering

DART

DEJAUNAE SMITH

Texas Southern

History/Pre-Law

MV TRANSIT

Colorado School of Mines

Petroleum Engineering

DRTD

East Carolina University

Business Administration and Finance

GTA

DEMETRIUS DAVIS

Stephen F. Austin State University

Accounting

First Transit

ARIES MILO

Texas Southern University

Urban Planning & Environmental Policy

TSU

OMARI KEMP

University of North Florida

Computers/ Information Science

JTA

SHANDA SUGGS

Edward Waters College

Mass Communications/ Psychology

JTA

DENVER JEREMY ANSAH

GREENSBORO MICHAEL FLOYD

HOUSTON

JACKSONVILLE

2015 Year in Review | ACCELERATE 11

CITY Intern Class of 2015 LOS ANGELES TIM RAVERRE

North Carolina A&T

Business Entrepreneurship

FOOTHILL TRANSIT/LA METRO

JAMARY TAYLOR

Eastern Michigan University

Engineering

MICHIGAN DOT

MENSAH WELLS

Wayne State University

Construction Management Technology

MICHIGAN DOT

KHALIL FAIR

University of Southern California

Civil Engineering

NYCT

LAMAR LEE

Morehouse College

Applied Physics and Civil Engineering

NYCT

GARVIN RAVELLO

New York City College of Technology

Computer Engineering

PORT AUTHORITY OF NY & NJ

MADELINE CHOI

Univ of CA, Berkley

Business Administration, Finance

OCTA

GINA NGUYEN

CA State University, Long Beach

Civil Engineering

OCTA

Morgan State University

Civil Engineering

AECOM

MICHIGAN

NEW YORK

ORANGE COUNTY

PHILADELPHIA TEMITOPE ADENIJI MARK LONG

Temple University

Electrical Engineering

LTK

ALPHA MENSARAY

Villanova University

Mechanical Engineering

SEPTA

University of Arizona

Economics/ Pre-Law

VALLEY METRO

Belhaven University

Design Visual Arts

VIA METRO

San Francisco State University

Civil Engineering

ACUMEN

PHOENIX RICHARD YARBOROUGH

SAN ANTONIO ZATIVA JOHNSON SAN FRANCISCO ERIC JIMINEZ

TAMPA DAVID WHITE

Florida

Occupational Therapy

HART

FAHIM IBRAHIM

University of South Florida

Industrial Engineering

THEA

George Mason University

Global Affairs

FTA

WASHINGTON DC ISAIAH FLOYD AKILA COPELAND

Macalaster College

Philosophy

APTA

DANTE FLOOD

University of Pittsburgh, Bradford

Computer Systems & Information

FIRST TRANSIT

JARINAT WILLIAMS

University of North Carolina, Charlotte Architectural Engineering

DDOT

RODERICK MARSHALL

Morgan State University

FIRST TRANSIT

12 COMTO | Moving the Nation

Transportation Systems

THE IAM’S BUFFENBARGER – MENTORING IS INCALCUABLE R. Thomas Buffenbarger says the combination to success is opportunity and mentors. His story is the epitome of that two-some. In the history of the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers (IAMAW), which was founded in 1888, Buffenbarger is the labor organization’s 13th International President and its youngest when he took the helm.

Sitting in his spacious office, which is filled with mementos, awards, and items of whimsy, Buffenbarger is low key and very approachable. He’s the guy who came up through the ranks and is thankful to of all those who lent a hand, mentoring him along the way and is still appreciative of his role as head of one of the largest industrial unions in North America.

His duties span the globe, which is how he became good friends with Sweden’s Prime Minister, Stefan Lofven. Prior to leading Sweden, Lofven worked as a welder and later chairman of the country’s powerful trade union.

For the past 18 years, Buffenbarger has led 720,000 active and retired IAM members in Canada and the United States. The union represents machinists working on building, repairing and operating F-22 fighters at Boeing and Lockheed Martin, Aegis destroyers at Bath Iron Works and Bradley fighting vehicles at FMC Corporation. They also service airplanes for United and US Airways, trains for Amtrak and Union Pacific, UPS trucks and GM cars. In addition, under Buffenbarger’s leadership, the union now also represents doctors and limo drivers in New York City, caregivers at VA hospitals, loggers in Oregon and cigarette makers in Virginia.

Machinists make very good livable wages. Certified welders, he notes, particularly in aerospace, are in high demand and start around $143,000 in salary. Somehow, working with one’s hands became stigmatized, he adds. Yet, common elements of machinists’ work are integral to everyday life. The watch on your wrist was created by a precision machinist.

As the name implies, machinists use machine tools, such as lathes, milling machines, and grinders, to produce precision metal parts. They may produce large quantities of one part, or small batches for one-of-a-kind items. These products must meet precise specifications. Machinists make parts ranging from bolts to automobile pistons.

“If you believe in what you are doing,” he says, “there is nothing you can’t accomplish.”

With today’s rapidly changing technology, machinists operate a wide range of machines that include lasers, water jets, or electrified wires.

“If you believe in what you are doing,” he says, “there is nothing you can’t accomplish.”

“Without ball bearings, the world would stop,” says Buffenbarger, noting that “machinists bring things to life.”

At every stage of his career - from being elected shop steward of his apprenticeship group at General Electric Jet Engines at age 19 in Evendale, Ohio to his appointment as an IAM Special Representative for the Great Lakes Territory and three years later becoming Administrative Assistant to the General Vice President for that territory – Buffenbarger was presented with opportunities. With each job, he worked hard, but there was always someone there who not only answered questions but helped him understand his path forward.

“Having people take their time and spend it with you is worth more than anyone can imagine.”

In 1988, he was appointed Executive Assistant to the International President. He served in that position under International Presidents William Winpisinger and George Kourpias. For six years, from 1991 to 1997, Buffenbarger served as IAM General Vice President, functioning as chief of staff of all Headquarter operations.

A machinist for more than 30 years, Buffenbarger became the youngest International President in IAM history, taking the helm at age 46 in 1997. After 18 years, Buffenbarger plans to retire early next year.

In his honor, and as a new COMTO partner, the IAM offered three scholarships totaling $10,000. Awarded during COMTO’s annual Scholarship luncheon at its 44th National Meeting and Training Conference in Boston, one of the scholarships is named in honor of R. Thomas Buffenbarger.

2015 Year in Review | ACCELERATE 13

COMTO Scholars Awarded nearly $100,000 for Scholarships

COMTO’s corporate partners don’t just talk the talk about helping the next generation of transportation leaders fund their college educations. They demonstrated their commitment with their checkbooks by awarding nearly $100,000 in scholarships to 21 students who are pursuing careers that not only can enhance transportation, but other industries as well.

The awards, made during the 44th National Meeting & Training Conference in Boston on July 14, had a different twist this year. One of the scholarships went to a nontraditional student whose moving story brought many guests at the annual scholarship luncheon to tears.

Eunice Escobar, president of COMTO Chicago and a Program Manager of Chicago’s Regional Transportation Authority, recalled how, after migrating to the United States from the Dominican Republic, she worked as a housekeeper and other pink collar jobs to support her family and obtain an education.

After working her way up the career ladder, she obtained a Certificate in Public Management from the Illinois Institute of Technology. Ms. Escobar is currently pursuing a Master of Science degree in Public Transportation. Because of her heroic efforts, she received the Julie Cunningham Legacy Fund Graduate Scholarship, one of two such scholarships awarded for the first time in honor of COMTO’s late president and CEO who passed away in 2014.

The other scholarship went to Kiante Bush, a student at Morgan State University. He received the Julie Cunningham Legacy Fund Undergraduate Scholarship.

2015 Industry Award Winners Best COMTO Grass Root Activities COMTO Southern California

Inter-Modal Innovation Award Denver Regional Transportation District (RTD), COMTO Colorado

Best Membership Recruitment/Retention Activities COMTO Columbus

Reverend Jerry Moore President’s Leadership Award

Best Multi-Modal Recruitment Activities

Dan Pearsall, COMTO Colorado

COMTO Michigan

Chapter of the Year Award COMTO Philadelphia

Corporate Citizen of the Year Award Suzanne Arkle, COMTO Colorado

Thomas G. Neusom Founders Award Michigan Department of Transportation., COMTO Michigan

Chairman’s Exemplary Service Award Ceila Blue, COMTO Boston

Emerging Chapter of the Year COMTO Columbus

Emerging Leader of the Year Maxine Pryor, COMTO Colorado

Executive of the Year Herman Lloyd, COMTO Philadelphia

Gerald A. Anderson Sibling Phil Washington, COMTO Colorado

Historically Underutilized Businesses (HUB) Firm Triunity Engineering & Management, Inc., COMTO Colorado

Industry Innovation and Leadership Award Rohit Patel, COMTO Maryland

2015 Year in Review | ACCELERATE 15

Thank you to our sponsors

Thank you to our sponsors Chairman’s Circle Keolis LTK Engineering Services

Diamond

AECOM CH2M CNR MA Corporation Jacobs Engineering Group MV Transportation Inc. WSP/Parsons Brinckerhoff

Platinum

Cubic Transportation Systems HDR

Gold

Atkins North America HNTB Jones Worley Prince Lobel Tye LLP STV Titan 360

Silver

ACI/Paul Revere Transportation Herzog Transit Services, Inc International Association of Machinists & Aerospace Workers, AFL-CIO, CLC Jacksonville Transit Authority (JTA) Massachusetts Port Authority (Massport) Scheidt & Bachmann USA Inc.

Bronze

American Public Transportation Association (APTA) Clever Devices COMTO Dallas EMPO Partners Enlightened, Inc. First Transit Freeland Construction Massachusetts Convention Center Authority (MCCA) New Flyer of America, Inc. Regional Transit Authority Skanksa USA Suffolk Construction Transdev North America Triunity Engineering & Management, Inc. USSC Group, Inc. VIA Metropolitan Transit

Friends of COMTO

Beveridge & Diamond PC Bryant Associates Inc. Capitol Management Catalyst Global Consulting CDW Consultants, Inc. Christopher Pacher Dagle Electrical Construction Corp.

Dallas Area Rapid Transit (DART) Decatur Capital Management, Inc. Foothill Transit Geocomp Corporation Gilbane Hales Creative Solutions HNTB Boston HNTB Michigan Infrastructure Engineering, Inc. J Burrell Communications J.F. White Contracting Company Kennedy/Jenks Consultants Keville Enterprises, Inc. Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority Missouri Dept. of Transportation (MODOT) OPTimum Planning, LLC Parsons Brinkerhoff (local) Patrick Moynihan & Associates, LLC. Phillips Group POLIHire Powers & Sullivan PROVEN Management, LLC Rackemann, Sawyer & Brewster Risk Strategies Company STV Incorporated (Local) Swayzer Engineering Taino Consulting Vanasse-Hangen-Brustlin, Inc. ViewSet West Insurance WTS Boston Xerox State & Local Solutions, Inc.

We see our world a little differently.

Because at CH2M, we love what we do.

We take pride in our work. But we care just as much about how we work. Deep respect for our family of employees, our clients and the communities we serve guides us at every step. Each project is a chance to move the world forward. And that’s an incredible privilege.

Apply today at ch2m.com/careers

www.ch2m.com/careers

© 2015 CH2M HILL TR1209151055DEN

COMTO HOLDS SUCCESSFUL TRANSPORTATION BRAINTRUST On September 17th, COMTO held its 23rd Annual Transportation Braintrust in partnership with the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation. Sponsored by Congressman Elijah Cummings (D-MD), the spirited gathering drew a standing room only audience, for the second year in a row.

U.S. DOT Deputy Secretary Victor Mendez delivered a very heartfelt, action charged keynote speech, encouraging those in attendance to spread the word about “Grow America”, the Obama Administration’s action plan to bring the nation’s infrastructure into the 21st Century. He outlined the tenants and importance of “Ladders of Opportunity” as well as the importance of SAFETY in minority communities across all modes.

COMTO Board Chair Warren Montague introduced former Transportation Secretary Rodney Slater, who served as moderator for the event.

At the outset, COMTO held a moving tribute to the country’s first African American Secretary of Transportation, William Coleman. Mr. Coleman served during former President Gerald Ford’s Administration (19751977).

Instrumental in creating the first significant pipeline of minority transportation professionals who worked in the Ford Administration, Secretary Coleman went on to serve various government transportation modes and the private sector.

Now 95 years old, he was represented at the Braintrust by his wife of more than 60 years, Lovida Coleman. After a wonderful video tribute highlighting Secretary Coleman’s lifelong accomplishments, COMTO President Mioshi Moses and Secretary Slater presented a sculpted glass plaque to Mrs. Coleman, who gave a moving thank you on behalf of the former Secretary. “I can’t wait to show this to him,” she said.

A distinguished panel representing federal, state and local government as well as business and association interests offered COMTO members numerous statistics and information regarding DBE participation in their business programs. Sitting on the panel was: Stephanie Jones, Senior Counselor to The Secretary, USDOT; Carlos Monje, Assistant Secretary for Transportation Policy, USDOT; Grindly Johnson, Deputy Secretary of Transportation of the Commonwealth of Virginia; Dennis Schrader, Deputy Secretary of the Maryland Department of Transportation; Darrell Mobley, Director of the Department of Public Works and Transportation, Prince Georges’ County MD; Charles Gulash, Senior Executive Engineer, Toyota Technical Center and Wendell Stemley, President, National Association of Minority Contractors.

During the more than hour long session, panel members gave the audience a treasure trove of information regarding federal, state and local policies which could possibly be of significant benefit to the minority/disadvantaged business community.

18 COMTO | Moving the Nation

The panel also provided very grave statistics about safety in our communities as well as information on new and innovative technologies and policies to address safety across the entire modal spectrum.

During a question and answer segment, audience participants spoke up about the challenges that many MBEs/DBEs face in identifying and winning contract work from federal, state and local agencies. They expressed significant frustration regarding the lack of enforcement, particularly on the state and local levels regarding fraudulent and front companies from dishonest majority contractors. Many in the forum felt that many states were not being aggressive in meeting goals set out in statute in doing business with DBE/MBEs. Panel members cited the efforts that their sate and local jurisdictions were making. They recognized the challenges expressed by audience members and noted that they are working to address and curb such practices.

The federal representatives gave updates and information on the importance and passage of the Surface Transportation Reauthorization (Grow America) initiative.

A. Bradley Mims Legislative Advisor / COMTO Board of Directors Partner The Ravens Group, Inc. MIMS III, LLC

2015 Year in Review | ACCELERATE 19

COMTO MOVING FORWARD Five Year Strategic Plan On Track For the past five years, COMTO has embarked on a journey taking us from ‘good to great,’ a standard set by our late President Julie Cunningham, with the formation of the Strategic Plan back in 2011.

COMTO’s Strategic Plan is its roadmap forward, one with a twofold purpose. First, it helps the organization execute its mission: to ensure a level playing field and maximum participation in the transportation industry for minority individuals, businesses, and communities of color. Second, it is the vehicle used to constantly raise the bar of excellence.

In 2011, the Strategic Plan identified four goals: •

To Become a Key Resource Center for HUBs/DBEs;

•

Enhance Chapter Growth and Development;

•

Enhance Membership Growth and Retention; and

•

Expand and Increase Professional Development and Growth.

Now, nearly five years into the current plan, it is time to see how well things are going; what needs improvement; and the best way forward.

To that end, COMTO’s National Strategic Planning Committee is connecting the dots among all of COMTO’s efforts, programs and initiatives as well as its Advisory Councils, National Committees, Board of Directors and Local Chapters.

We are the gate keeper of performance management on how well the organization is performing for its membership. In addition, the Committee monitors and report results.

The Strategic Plan was originally developed using national surveys, focus groups and other methods to make sure that the association and its members’ needs were being met.

Overall, the organization has done a great job in accomplishing its goals and objectives that were slated for 2011 – 2015.

Several tools and programs have been implemented that added to the success of these achievements. It’s truly been a team-work process and all of our members, stakeholders and supporters have been a part of that team. A few of the new forward thinking program areas added to the organization’s success are:  The COMTO Leadership Institute (CLI) with Shirley DeLibero as Executive Director. CLI oversees our Emerging Leaders, Scholars, and CITY Intern Programs, all of which are growing in numbers as well as stature.  Studio71, so named to reflect the year COMTO was founded, has added tremendous value to COMTO’s Communications and Marketing efforts.  COMTO Signature Events such as its Celebrating Women Who Move the Nation awards, its CEO Summit, expanded this year at the National Meeting & Training Conference, its Transportation BrainTrust, a partnership with the Congressional Black Caucus, as well as its Scholarship Luncheon and Industry Awards, and the list continues to grow every day.

One of the successful tools utilized requires all Chapters to comply with the Good-to-Great Document, a better way to measure how well things are progressing.

Because the Strategic Plan is a living document, the National Strategic Planning Committee is moving forward to update where needed and offer new objectives that will further maintain and sustain the organization’s performance. The Strategic Plan is our guide for the road ahead.

Make no mistake, there are still many challenges ahead. While we are moving forward, we still have work to do for our Disadvantaged Business Enterprises (DBEs), to continue to grow our membership and to help with professional development.

Meshelle M.V. Howard, MCA Chair, COMTO Strategic Planning Committee President COMTO Maryland Director, Civil Rights and Fair Practices Maryland Transportation Authority (MDTA)

20 COMTO | Moving the Nation

How can you help? Get involved. Join a committee. Add your voice.

This is a great time to be part of the COMTO family. And it’s only going to get better!

Accessing COMTO HUB’s Providing Opportunities As we close out 2015, let’s reflect on COMTO’s reinvigorated efforts to create bottom-line opportunities for our HUB membership contingent. This reinvigoration was stimulated further at COMTO’s annual View-from-the-Hill initiative held in Washington D.C., March, 2015 when a number of HUB Sub-Committee members reiterated a core goal from COMTO’s Strategic Plan: “We need to do more to retain, sustain and encourage new memberships.”

Not only are COMTO members leading transportation professionals in all sectors of the industry, COMTO is the nation’s only multi-modal organization whose mission is to advocate on behalf of minority professionals and businesses and help level the playing field. As such, COMTO regularly provides education, contracting opportunities, high-level business connections and upward mobility to our HUB membership through various networking sessions.

In 2015, we continued that trek by providing three (3) DBE Best Practice webinars with topics designed to enhance the business acumen of our HUBs. These webinars, chosen from input and completed surveys from our HUB membership, were: • Bonding: “Why Bonding Matters” – January 28th • Email Marketing for Businesses – March 18th • Doing Business with Clark Construction: “Bridging the Gap between Preparation and Opportunity” – June 24th At COMTO’s 44th National Meeting & Training Conference this past July in Boston, Massachusetts, four (4) DBE exclusive events were held.

• DBE Best Practice Seminar - Sunday, July 12th • Bridging Opportunities for HUB’s Networking Luncheon - Monday, July 13th • DBE Networking Breakfast - Tuesday, July 14th, Sponsored by USSC Group • COMTO/APTA Panel Discussion - Tuesday, July 14th In addition to developing and implementing these webinars and business development opportunities, the HUB Subcommittee is diligently working on two (2) initiatives it feels will continue to define COMTO as an organization always on the cutting-edge.

The much anticipated COMTO HUB Clearinghouse, which has been a work in progress over the past few years, is getting closer to becoming a reality. The Committee has made considerable strides to deliver this project to our HUB members and we are nearly there. COMTO is working to identify its HUB members by experience level, skill set (e.g. concrete, engineering, landscaping, compliance monitoring, etc.). With this information, COMTO’s Corporate members will be able to access the Clearinghouse and glean from the data base those COMTO HUB members that match the need to fulfill contracts.

Additionally, as a result of recent discussions with COMTO leadership, the HUB Committee is also working to develop an FTA Small Business Program that we can tout as our own and make available to interested transit agencies nationally.

This program will be based on best practices that already exist in the industry and will fall under COMTO’s Leadership Institute.

Although the HUB Committee feels we are on the right track towards reinvigorating our HUB member base, there is still much work to be done.

Please work with me, COMTO committee members, and staff as we continue to help move the nation!

Terrence M. Hicks Chair, COMTO HUB Sub-Committee Managing Principal Metro Strategies, Inc. DBE-Certified and Veteran-Owned 2015 Year in Review | ACCELERATE 21

DBE CORNER ICONIC Helping Dallas’ Rail Expand Many may not realize it, but Dallas has the country’s biggest light rail system. The Dallas Area Rapid Transit (DART) light rail system stretches 90 miles across North Texas.

In 2014, on any given weekday, DART rail transported an average of 96,272 riders, up 1% from the prior year, according to the transit agency.

Rail transit continues to expand, and construction is underway on a 2.6 mile extension of DART’s Blue Line due to open in 2016. Plans are also underway for a new 27-mile commuter rail line between downtown Fort Worth and Dallas/Fort Worth airport that could open as soon as 2018.

Helping DART in its expansion efforts is the Iconic Consulting Group, Inc., (ICONIC) a minority- owned engineering firm, which is working on the South Oak Cliff Corridor extension of the Blue Line to the University of North Texas (UNT) at Dallas.

Under contract from HTNB and Dikita Enterprise Inc., ICONIC designed several components of the 2.61 mile corridor expansion, including Clearing and Grubbing, Storm water Pollution Prevention Plans, and a new Kiss and Ride drop off location. The team also designed the rehabilitation of the existing station (Ledbetter Station), site design of a new station at UNT Dallas. The ICONIC team assisted in the development of two emergency refuge areas along the corridor.

ICONIC’s dynamic team consist of Jeffrey Briscoe (Project Manager Engineer), Derek White (Project Engineer), and Julius Hudson (Design Engineer). While Iconic has worked on many DART projects, this one had special considerations.

“This section of DART Light Rail Transit system has many elevated sections, due to it being in a federal floodplain,” said Jeffrey Briscoe. “Special requirements had to be met for clearing of vegetation, access, and erosion control.” In addition to these considerations, ICONIC coordinated with several engineering disciplines and agencies to accomplish the minimum amount of clearing and grub, which allowed for the preservation of large trees and vegetation. Maximizing the best management practices allowed for storm water erosion prevention.

ICONIC’s unique design approach included a reconfiguration of the existing Ledbetter Station bus drop off area. This reconfiguration accommodates a new kiss and ride drop off area, and it required the design of a 24 foot one way drop off lane. The team had to ensure that all sidewalks and grades met the Texas Accessibility Standards for 2012 (TAS 2012), which led to the redesign of the closed storm water system to accommodate changes to the area.

The South Oak Cliff corridor extension is currently under construction, and the ICONIC team is assisting in the construction management phase. The total estimated construction cost for this project, expected to open in 2016, is $101 million.

Picture: Left to Right is Gilbert Tolentino; Julius Hudson and Jeffrey Briscoe

22 COMTO | Moving the Nation

Sandra Morgan - Growing Up With A Legacy and Becoming One in Her Own Right

Sandra Morgan has always had a “strong sense of self.” It comes from family, notes the granddaughter of inventor Garrett Morgan. She calls her grandfather’s legacy a “joyful thing... a fantastic legacy to draw from.”

“He was a very practical man,” says Morgan. Born in 1877 and with just a fifth grade education, Garrett Morgan’s inventions, such as the traffic signal, are still in use today.

“He didn’t consider himself an inventor. He thought of himself as a businessman. He was solutions driven,” says Morgan, adding that her grandfather was very observant, pretty clever, and able to translate his inventions into great business opportunities.

GARRETT MORGAN – ENTREPRENEUR / INVENTOR

With only a 5th grade education, Garrett Morgan’s inventions transformed the world around him and serve as the foundation of what is in use today.

Born in 1877, Garrett Morgan didn’t consider himself an inventor, notes his granddaughter, Sandra Morgan, even though he secured many patents, including those for a hair-straightening product, a breathing device, a revamped sewing machine and an improved traffic signal. “He just looked around him, saw what challenges there were, and came up with solutions,” said Morgan. “He considered himself a businessman.”

Learning the inner workings of sewing machines, Garrett Morgan started his career as a sewing-machine mechanic.

He found a way to make the machines better, so he obtained a patent and opened a repair business, establishing himself in Cleveland. Business was very good.

Hair Product Company In 1909, Morgan opened a tailoring shop with his wife Mary. Scorched fabrics from sewing machine needles were a common problem of the time. Morgan’s chemical experiment on the fabric created a side benefit: straighter fabric hairs. After further testing, including on himself, he formed the G.A. Morgan

Growing up, “I didn’t feel I had boundaries. I was encouraged to do well, to achieve, to speak my mind, and, to do for others.” While her grandfather’s inventions grew out of problems that needed to be solved, whether it was horrible traffic accidents or people dying from smoky fires, he also was very community minded. A member of the then newly formed NAACP, Garrett Morgan donated to African American colleges and launched the Cleveland Call, a local newspaper, later named the Call and Post.

These are all lessons she’s passed along to her own children. Going out and experiencing things, like spending three weeks in Mexico on an Indian reservation “helps to really shape your viewpoint.” Not one to sit at home watching television all day, Morgan took her children to street fairs and festivals, or roller skating in botanical gardens, so they could “appreciate nature.” “When you view the world from a larger context, it just helps ...

Your decisions are more informed.”

Morgan is Director of Outreach Programs for Kent State University’s College of Arts and Sciences, where in addition to promoting the University and its many research programs, she also looks for outside opportunities. “I like to build relationships and am always “When you view the world from on the lookout for opportunities a larger context, it just helps to create joint ... Your decisions are more research.” informed .”

One such relationship she’s built is with a university in Lithuania, sharing Kent State’s public policy on ecology. “They are looking here for best practices, so we have a visiting scholars program.”

Research on water is one of the University’s most significant projects, delving into all aspects, from portable drinking water to brown water policies to rejuvenating wetlands. The research focuses on the state of the world’s water problems, water quality and access. “I can talk all day about water,” says Morgan, noting it is one of Ohio’s most precious natural resources.

She likes to interact with students, especially interns, helping them to build curriculum and gain practical applied experience.

Basically, Morgan loves the variety her work provides, from all things academic to public relations to art, to just interacting with people.

2015 Year in Review | ACCELERATE 23

Hair Refining Company, which sold his newly invented hair cream to African Americans. This venture brought him incredible success.

Morgan calls herself a “global citizen,” a description she’s used long before the term became popular. “It’s about putting yourself in a position to learn, all the time. It creates new ways to engage. It also gives one the confidence to try,” she notes.

Breathing Device

Having travelled the world, Morgan views transportation as a critical component to a healthy, thriving community. “It’s a practical solution to issues, from the manufacturing process to developing a more efficient system. It involves everything computerized to how to make the ridership experience enjoyable and safe.”

Looking for practical solutions to a common problem of the time, clothing manufacturing plant fires, Morgan created and patented a breathing device, or “safety hood” in 1914. This device allowed wearers to breathe better and longer in the presence of smoke and gases. It later became the prototype and precursor for gas masks used during World War I, protecting soldiers from toxic gases used.

Traffic Light and more Morgan was the first black person in Cleveland to own a car. Working on his mechanical skills he developed a friction drive clutch.fter witnessing a bad accident at a jumbled intersection, in 1923 Morgan created a traffic signal which warned drivers of the need to stop. He patented his invention, which is the precursor to today’s three-way traffic light, found all over the world.

Later, he sold the patents to General Electric for $40,000.

Community Minded While he was a very savvy businessman, Morgan was also very active in his community. A member of the newly formed National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, he was active in the Cleveland Association of Colored Men, donated to Negro colleges and opened an all-black country club. Additionally, in 1920, he launched the AfricanAmerican newspaper the Cleveland Call (later named the Call and Post).

24 COMTO | Moving the Nation

In addition to commerce, people and ideas, “transportation is limitless” she says. Introducing young people, college students in particular, to the industry, is vital, which is why she is appreciative of COMTO’s Garrett Morgan Shadow Day. Each year, COMTO chapters introduce the world of transportation to students from elementary to high school and beyond.

Prior to her work at Kent State, Morgan was a business consultant focused on strategic planning and new business development in the nonprofit sector. Some of the many positions she’s held include director of institutional relations at the National Inventors Hall of Fame in Akron, Ohio, where she developed corporate, government and public relations.

She also served as regional manager for Cleveland’s World Trade Center covering Europe, the Middle East, and Africa, where she promoted exports from Northeast Ohio-based companies and encouraged foreign investment in the region. “Ohio ranks 7th in international trade,” she proudly notes.

Morgan also served as program director of the Minority International Trade Resource, a flagship program funded by the Minority Business Development Agency, where she helped local minority firms go global, primarily with England. “There was common law and language, which made it an easier place to start,” she explained.

However, one of her most intriguing jobs is that of Honorary Consul of the United Kingdom for Ohio. Not only is Sandra Morgan a member of the British-American Chamber of Commerce, she is a Daughter of the British Empire, and has been tapped by Queen Elizabeth to represent Britain in Ohio. “I’m very active with the Chamber and help the occasional British citizen with a lost passport,” she says.

But mainly, Sandra Morgan, who grew up under the legacy of her grandfather, has created her own path, which, she says, is what it’s all about.

COMTO Chapters Keep History Alive with Garrett Morgan Day

COMTO CENTRAL FLORIDA Held at Florida Polytechnic University, COMTO Central Florida spent time with thirty 11th grade students from Kathleen High School. Students were given a presentation from the schools admission office and a tour of the university. Florida Poly is dedicated to the principle that innovation occurs when research and creativity are applied to real-world challenges.

COMTO CHICAGO COMTO FORT LAUDERDALE In partnership with South Florida Regional Transportation Authority (SFRTA), Bombardier, Transdev and Keolis, COMTO Fort Lauderdale hosted students from the Youth Automotive Training Center. Used to working with automobile engines, the students were in awe at the size and weight of the train locomotive engines.

Partnering with RTA and CTA, COMTO Chicago promotes transportation to area youth.

Students spent the day shadowing Maintenace, Management and Instruction at Chicago Avenue Bus garage and Midway Rail shop in addition to touring CTA;s Control Center.

COMTO MICHIGAN

COMTO JACKSONVILLE

Reaching more than 240 students, COMTO Michigan met with students, grades 6-8, at Detroit Edison Public School Academy in Detroit. The various careers within transportation were discussed and students were presented with a book on engineering and other giveaways.

In addition to learning about careers, scholarship and internship opportunities available in the transportation industry, students this year spent the day learning about interviewing, body language, and the value of a good college education. After a tour of the Jacksonville Transportation Authority facilities, the students were offered words of encouragement from JTA CEO, Nathaniel P. Ford.

2015 Year in Review | ACCELERATE 25

Membership Growth & Retention: ENGAGE COMTO Family! The new focus in our industry is “sustainability”. Sustainability for COMTO is growing our membership and retaining our existing members. We all know that numbers matter. COMTO has a bold mission to ensure a level playing field and maximum participation in the transportation industry for minority individuals, businesses and communities of color through advocacy, information sharing, training, education, and professional development. We need a strong membership to accomplish our mission and sustain this premier organization that works to provide access and opportunities for all people of color.

The POWER of the COMTO Network •

COMTO provides great forums for Networking; which potentially leads to better positions, stronger standing in a current position, and more.

•

COMTO provides Professional Development opportunities.

•

COMTO provides Advocacy for key issues that impact our industry (the health and viability of our industry has a direct impact on each of us).

•

COMTO provides the platform to Strengthen Your Voice as it partners with other forward thinking organizations, agencies, and corporations.

•

COMTO provides Leadership Skills Development opportunities, both internal and external to a member’s current position.

How can your chapter actively help sustain COMTO through membership growth and retention?

•

Have dynamic Programs and Events that benefit current members and attract potential new members. Use the membership committee’s Best Practices Resource Guide (on the website) which showcases successful events held by chapters and offers detailed ideas on creating your own.

•

When holding events, be prepared to extend membership at the meeting. Have forms and flyers ready.

•

Follow-up with the individuals and organizations that attend your events, but are not members and encourage them to join COMTO.

•

When new individuals join the COMTO Family through your chapter, make sure they are welcomed. Provide a welcome gift (pen, COMTO pin, etc.) with COMTO’s name or mission, as a reminder of who we are.

•

Assign an active current member as a buddy to the new member. This person can help answer questions, remind the new member of upcoming meetings, and encourage engagement in chapter committees and activities.

•

When members miss meetings, make sure information is sent on what they missed and any tasks they need to help with to advance COMTO’s mission.

DID YOU KNOW? COMTO: 9 9 Executes an aggressive and effective DBE/Small Business Program 9 9 Has a nationally acclaimed Leadership Development & Training program (COMTO Leadership Institute) 9 9 Provides over $400,000 in Scholarships across the country 9 9 Has a strong Voice on Capitol Hill 9 9 Continually looks for good Partners to help us

Mary Ann Collier Former Chair, Membership Committee Former National Board Member

26 COMTO | Moving the Nation

COMTO National’s membership committee urges each Chapter and Member to help COMTO be sustainable. Let’s continue to grow our COMTO membership!

welcome new members ARIZONA Kaitlyn Aldaz Andreana Barnes Kimmerly Gathers Clarence McAllister Richard Yarbough Jesse Akins III ATLANTA Jesse Akins III Marcus Arnold, AICP Rhonda Briggins Donald Cornelius Christopher Darnell Nicholas Gowens AT-LARGE Sharine Adams Martha Alongi Mark Alpert Ilham Aman Kyle Andrade Lilian Ayala AUSTIN Gabriel Cubero Stepheni Hass Ellen Ray BIRMINGHAM Tevin Bizzell Angela Hayden Norman Hill Moses James BOSTON Claudia Aliff Christine Aras Genesis Aristy Milton Bennings Curtis Bradley Jeffrey Bryant CENTRAL FLORIDA Yailis Feliciano Reshawn Fields TK Lamb Man Le Sarah Moriyama CHICAGO Nicole Berry Audrey Bourne Rafique Ahmed Chachar Fluturi Demirovski Terence Fennell Andrea Gomez

CINCINNATI Ronald Dumas CLEVELAND Fluor Enterprises, Inc. Jose Feliciano Koya Graham Theresa Johnson Marleise Wicker COLORADO Jeremy Ansah Angie Aragon Jean Claude Aurel Lachelle Coffey Devin Hirschfeld Tony Jamison COLUMBUS Dawanna Allen Willie Anderson William Anthony Tajudeen Bakare Tisha Brady Melinda Collins DALLAS Jeffrey Amoo Azunae Castleberry Gregory Craig Sherre Holmes Sherrill Lester Jannifer Mays FORTH WORTH Aqshems Meten Nichols FT. LAUDERDALE Linda Garfold Elizabeth Mcneill Markus Moore Christian Morales Anthea Thomas Raymond Warthen HAMPTON ROADS Averi Drummer HOUSTON Roben Armstrong Sean Cagan Terrie Chester Damon Dash Demetrius Davis Travis Gray INDIANA

Micah Chapman Phalease Crichlow Lori Miser Debra Wilson

Mitsuno Baurmeister Jerome Brown Hildegard Dodd Rosa Esquivel

JACKSONVILLE Chantel Daniels Reginald Dixon Robert Harris Cami Haynes Omari Kemp William Moseley

OREGON/ SW WASHINGTON Marcus Clark Edward Hall Maurice Henderson

KANSAS CITY Otherine Bembry Glyndia Lang MARYLAND Obianuju Ani Kellie Boulware Joanne Brooks Deborah Brown Arthur Brown Kiante Bush

MIAMI Anthony Alfred Danielle Banks Julie Craig Eddy Gonzalez Dennis Green Gladys Keith

PHILADELPHIA Franky Acosta Temitope Adeniji Zahir M. Anderson Mable Bakali Chellie Cameron Sophannara Chhith SAN ANTONIO Gilbert Alvarez Janet Barnes Derrick Floyd Daniel Garcia Roy A Garza Ihyanna Haynes SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA Deja Jackson Shawn Ariannia Tina Backstrom Leticia Barajas Elizabeth Bennett Madeline Choi

MICHIGAN Brandy Avery Mohamed Ayoub Tiffany Gunter Virginia Lickliter Jessica Miles Noe Navarette NEW JERSEY Ayanthi Gunawardana Dawn Heavens Alexsandra Hendley Chelsea Ramos NEW YORK Elias Akeredolu Onyinye Akujuo Earlyne Alexander David Arias Justin Baron Shila Bayor NORTHERN CALIFORNIA Philip Adams James Allen

ST. LOUIS Bianca Smith WASHINGTON, DC Kelvin Ampofo Randall Benjamin Alexander Bond Brandy Butler Dana Chieco Akila Copeland

Visit www.comto.org for frequently updated list of new members.

CITY Interns*

2015 Year in Review | ACCELERATE 27

COMTO Members on the Move Birdsong Named COO of Nashville MTA India Birdsong has been appointed Chief Operating Officer for the Nashville Metropolitan Transit Authority, where she will oversee the agency’s entire operational system.

For the past 8 years, Birdsong was Manager, Bus Supervision for the Chicago Transit Authority, specializing in service restoration and management of Clever Devices Real Time Bus/ GPS Technology. She has worked in various transportation sectors over the years including route planning, special event oversight, supervision, instruction and garage management.

Birdsong is an Emeritus TCRP Ambassador, a former president of COMTO Chicago, and, most recently, was the inaugural recipient of the Chairman’s Eagle Award, a new award added to COMTO’s Celebrating Women Who Move the Nation Signature event. This award recognizes an Emerging Leader who best exemplifies the spirit and leadership of COMTO’s late President, Julie Cunningham.

Brown Named IndyGo COO/VP of Operations The Indianapolis Public Transportation Corporation (IndyGo) recently announced that Roscoe S. Brown Jr. has been named Chief Operating Officer/Vice President of Operations for Indiana’s largest public transit agency. Michael Terry, IndyGo President and CEO stated “I am pleased that Roscoe Brown has accepted this leadership role. He brings a wealth of IndyGo experience and knowledge from within the transit industry locally and nationally.” Brown will oversee the IndyGo Operations Division, which includes fixed route transportation, Open Door Para transit, vehicle maintenance, facility maintenance, safety, security and training. Mr. Brown will assume his new position effective August 10, 2015.

A 15 year employee with IndyGo, Roscoe has more than 26 years of experience in the transportation industry. Mr. Brown has been with IndyGo since 1999 serving in a variety of positions including Director of Flexible Services, Director of Community Development and most recently as Vice President of Business Development.

Brown also currently serves on a number of advisory boards in and around the Indianapolis region representing public transportation interest. He is a graduate of Indiana University Purdue University at Indianapolis with a bachelor’s degree in business administration, and is a veteran of the United States Air Force. He has been designated as a Certified Community Transit Manager by the Community Transportation Association of America. He also currently serves as an Ambassador for the Transportation Cooperative Research Program (TCRP).

Mr. Brown is a founding member and current Vice President of the Conference of Minority Transportation Officials (COMTO) Indiana chapter. COMTO Indiana Chapter President, Debbie Wilson, congratulated Roscoe on his rise within the IndyGo organization, “Roscoe is a stellar professional. His commitment to the mobility of Hoosiers is a ministry. We are proud he is a leader in COMTO Indiana.”

Dunn Receives Outstanding Service Award from Boy Scouts of America The Southwest Ohio Regional Transit Authority’s (SORTA) Board Chair & COMTO member Jason Dunn was recently honored by the Boy Scouts of America Dan Beard Council with the Whitney M. Young, Jr. Service Award.

Dunn was one of four recipients who received the prestigious award named for the late civil rights leader, during the Boy Scouts of America Dan Beard Council’s fourth Annual Whitney M. Young, Jr. Service Award Dinner.

The award recognizes individuals who demonstrate outstanding service in the development and implementation of scouting opportunities for youth from rural or low-income urban backgrounds – in fulfillment of Mr. Young’s dream of justice and equality for all.

Dunn has served on the SORTA board since 2012 and is well recognized for his volunteer engagement and service to the community.

28 COMTO | Moving the Nation

COMTO Members on the Move Metro is a non-profit, tax-funded public service of the Southwest Ohio Regional Transit Authority, providing about 17 million rides per year.

SORTA operates Metro fixed-route transit service and Access paratransit service for people whose disabilities prevent their riding Metro buses. Metro and Access provide about 17 million rides per year in Greater Cincinnati.

Haley Named Cincinnati Metro’s Executive Vice President Cincinnati Metro has promoted Darryl Haley to Executive Vice President. In this role, Haley will serve as second in command at Metro, under CEO and General Manager Dwight Ferrell.

Haley will oversee the daily administration functions of Metro’s Operations, Administration, Planning and Development, and Human Resources departments.

Haley began his career with Metro in 2006 and has held various positions including Director of Customer Relations, Chief of Development & Marketing Officer, Executive Director of Development and Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (DBE) Officer, Interim Chief Executive Officer and most recently Deputy General Manager. Prior to Metro he held positions in the financial and health-care distribution industries.

He holds a degree in Business Administration from the University of Cincinnati and is a member of the National Conference of Minority Transportation Officials (COMTO).

Haley resides in Anderson Township with his wife, Kelly.

Metro is a non-profit, tax-funded public service of the Southwest Ohio Regional Transit Authority, providing about 17 million rides per year.

White House Recognizes JTA’s Ford as a “Champion of Change” Jacksonville Transportation Authority CEO Nathaniel Ford Sr. has been named a “White House Transportation Champion of Change.” U.S. Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx made the announcement. Ford is one of 11 individuals from across the country honored by the White House for exemplary leadership and innovation in transportation.

Ford is being recognized and awarded for leading the overhaul of JTA’s transportation system by implementing ROI, which has increased ridership, decreased travel times, and made safety upgrades to buses and stations. His efforts have transformed JTA into a more reliable, more efficient, and safer system for the people of Jacksonville.

“Public transportation is essential to the quality of life,” said Ford. “I am honored and grateful to be recognized as a White House Champion of Change for the implementation of ROI. This award belongs to the entire JTA team of professionals that I have the honor of working with. I want to thank the JTA Board of Directors, our staff and our customers.”

The Champions of Change program was created as an opportunity for the White House to feature individuals doing extraordinary things to empower and inspire members of their communities. This Champions of Change event will honor people who recognize these challenges in transportation, and have endeavored to solve them.

Ford was also recently named one of Northeast Florida’s Ultimate CEOs for 2015 by the Jacksonville Business Journal for his consistent high level of leadership.

2015 Year in Review | ACCELERATE 29

COMTO Members on the Move Fuller Joins CH2M / Named to APTA Executive Committee COMTO National 2nd Vice Chair Freddie Fuller has joined CH2M, a global full-service consulting, design, construction and operations firm. He will lead its Transit & Rail market in Virginia, Washington D.C. and Maryland. In this key position with CH2M’s Transportation Business Group, Fuller’s primary focus is to continue to expand the successful transit business through strategic client and consulting partnerships and the development of new opportunities.

“Freddie has knowledge that is perfectly matched for this role and for our overall vision,” says CH2M Americas Transit & Rail Director Tom Donahue. “The Mid-Atlantic region is an important geography for transit and rail activity with tremendous opportunity to expand the transit network and add more advanced technology solutions.”

Fuller, based out of CH2M’s Washington, D.C. office, brings more than 18 years experience in the transportation industry developing transportation policies and procedures to improve transit service delivery with an outstanding leadership track record in both the public and private sectors.

In addition, Fuller was recently named as a member of the American Public Transportation Association’s (APTA) Executive Committee.

Johnson Named Maryland State Highway Administrator COMTO board member Gregory Johnson has been appointed Administrator of the Maryland Department of Transportation’s (MDOT) State Highway Administration (SHA)

by Governor Larry Hogan. Johnson is a 32-year highway veteran and comes to SHA from the Michigan Department of Transportation where he serves multiple roles as chief operations officer, chief engineer and deputy director.

“Mr. Johnson has spent his professional life in highway project delivery and I am confident he is exactly the right person to provide smart and business friendly transportation solutions throughout Maryland,” said Governor Hogan. “We now have two national transportation experts in Secretary Rahn and Administrator Johnson, and their experience will help our state successfully complete the $1.97 billion in road and bridge projects just announced and more than $8 billion in highway projects during the next six years.”

Johnson served as second in command of the Michigan Department of Transportation for six years, where he implemented innovations in project development and delivery, including: alternate project delivery, accelerated bridge construction, wider use of carbon fiber to lengthen the life of bridges, and e-construction. In addition to his leadership in using innovation to deliver complex projects efficiently with cost savings, Johnson has focused on safety, excellent customer service, enhanced partnering, and active traffic management.

As part of his focus on partnering, Johnson has been a staunch advocate for Disadvantaged Business Enterprises (DBE) throughout his career, speaking about DBEs at local and national forums. He also established a youth mentoring development program to employ urban youth and expose them to transportation-related careers.

In addition to COMTO, Johnson serves on many national boards and committees, including: American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials Standing Committees on Highways and Research, American Society of Civil Engineers, Ferris State University Construction Industry Advisory Board, and National Operations Center of Excellence Executive Board.

Johnson plans to live in Baltimore City, where SHA is headquartered. He began his new job in September.

30 COMTO | Moving the Nation

Calendar CALENDAR 2016 TUESDAY, MARCH 15, 2016 8AM View From the Hill Washington, DC. WEDNESDAY, MARCH 16, 2016 8AM – 11AM Annual Celebrating Women Who Move the Nation Breakfast J.W. Marriott Hotel Washington, DC. FRIDAY, JULY 8 – TUESDAY, JULY 12, 2016 45th National Meeting and Training Conference Omni Hotel Dallas, TX

For Chapter Events & Activities please visit: www.comto.org

Celebrating Women who move the nation A Breakfast Awards Ceremony Hosted by the Conference Of Minority Transportation Officials Wednesday, March 13, 2013 8:00 a.m. – 10:00 a.m.

JW Marriott Hotel 1331 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW Washington, DC 20004 SPONSORSHIP OPPORTUNITIES

SAVE THE DATE! Join us in celebrating 45 Years of Moving the Nation at our

2016 National Meeting & Training Conference July 8-12, 2016 Omni Hotel Dallas, TX

SAVE THE DATE!

5TH ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION! A Breakfast Awards Ceremony Hosted by the Conference Of Minority Transportation Officials Wednesday, March 16, 2016 8:00 a.m. – 11:00 a.m.

For early bird ticket information please visit: www.comto.org/celebratingwomen2016

JW Marriott Hotel 1331 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW Washington, DC 20004

2015 Year in Review | ACCELERATE 31

2014–2016 COMTO Chapter Presidents Arizona Gary Flunoy Valley Metro Phoenix, AZ

Columbus Richard Crockett Capital Transportation Columbus, OH

New Jersey Ophelia Adderley New Jersey Transit Corporation West Trenton, NJ

Atlanta Rhonda Briggins, JD Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority Atlanta, GA

Dallas Keith Britton Iconic Consulting Group, Inc. Dallas, Texas

New York Yvette Janniere-Houlder Metro North Railroad New York, NY

Delaware Corey Burris Delaware Transit Corporation Wilmington, DE

Northern California Dana Lang San Francisco International Airport San Francisco, CA

Ft. Lauderdale Loraine Kelly-Cargill South Florida Regional Transportation Authority Pompano Beach, FL

Oregon/SW Washington Coral Egnew TRI-MET Portland, OR

Austin Martin Kareithi Capital Metropolitan Transportation Authority Austin, TX Birmingham Wytangy Peak-Finney Birmingham-Jefferson County Transit Authority Birmingham, AL Boston Celia Blue Massachusetts Department of Transportation Boston, MA Central Florida Carla Williams Hillsborough Area Regional Transit Authority Tampa, FL Chicago Eunice Escobar Regional Transit Authority Chicago Chicago, IL Cincinnati Lamont Taylor Frisch’s Restaurants, Inc. Cincinnati, OH Cleveland Eric Johnson Greater Cleveland Regional Transit Authority Cleveland, OH Colorado State Daniel Pearsall Premier Management Corporation Denver, CO

32 COMTO | Moving the Nation

Houston David Johnson First Transit Houston, TX

Philadelphia Emille L. Williams Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority (SEPTA) Philadelphia, PA

Indiana Debra Simmons Engaging Solutions LLC Indianapolis, IN

San Antonio Marcus Peoples Via Metropolitan Transit San Antonio, TX

Jacksonville Endya Freeman Jacksonville Transportation Authority Jacksonville, FL

Southern California Gwendolen Gray L.A. Metro Los Angeles, CA

Kansas City A.J. Byrd Missouri Department of Transportation Kansas City, MO

St. Louis Kevin Triggs St. Louis, MO

Maryland Meshelle Howard Maryland Transportation Authority Baltimore, MD Miami Kenneth Jones Miami Dade Transit Miami, FL Michigan Kimberly Avery Michigan Department of Transportation Taylor, MI

Washington, DC James Cheeks District Department of Transportation Washington, DC

HAPPY HOLIDAY WISHES TO ALL AND A VERY HAPPY NEW YEAR

Mark Your Calendar COMTO’s 45th National Meeting & Training Conference 45 Years of Moving the Nation

July 8–12, 2016 Omni Hotel Dallas, TX

Post Conference Summer 2014 | ACCELERATE 33

COMTO Celebrates the Life and Contributions of Two Great American Civil Rights Icons

Julian Bond

Congressman Louis Stokes

America recently lost two long time civil rights activists and lawmakers with the passing of Julian Bond and Congressman Louis Stokes. COMTO honors both of these champions of justice.

From serving in the Georgia House of Representatives to presiding as president of the Southern Poverty Law Center and later as board chair of the NAACP, Julian Bond’s simple ideal – civil rights for all – was the guiding principal of his life.

The very same can be said of Congressman Louis Stokes, Ohio’s first African American man elected to Congress who leaves behind a legacy of leadership. He was part of a group that established the Congressional Black Caucus and was a strong advocate for minority representation in healthcare policy making. As a member of the Congressional Black Caucus, Rep. Stokes aided in passage of the 1986 Comprehensive Anti Apartheid Act. Both Rep. Stokes and Mr. Bond have left an indelible mark on this country and COMTO is proud to celebrate their Tremendous contributions.

34 COMTO | Moving the Nation

DELIVERING VALUE THROUGH DIVERSITY WSP | Parsons Brinckerhoff is a leader in the transportation industry, providing strategic consulting, planning, design and construction management services.

We attribute our success to our innovative, experienced and diverse workforce.

Together we deliver value to communities and customers worldwide.

Learn more by visiting wspgroup.com/usa or pbworld.com/usa

For career opportunities, visit wspgroup.com/usa | pbworld.com/usa WSP | Parsons Brinckerhoff is an equal opportunity employer (minorities/females/protected veterans/disabled).

2015 Year in Review | ACCELERATE 35

ACCELERATE

COMTO LEADERSHIP NATIONAL CHAIR Warren Montague MV Transportation Detroit, MI

1ST VICE CHAIR

BOARD MEMBERS ATLARGE Tanya Adams WSP/Parsons Brinckerhoff Chicago, IL

Freddie Fuller CH2M Washington, DC

Tracey Bessellieu The Catalyst Group New York, NY

2ND VICE CHAIR

Dr. Grady Dale, Jr. The American Institute for Urban Psychological Studies, Inc. Baltimore, MD

Dr. Dianne T. Mendoza VIA Metropolitan Transit San Antonio, TX

SECRETARY/TREASURER Renee Edwards Dallas Area Rapid Transit Dallas, TX

CHAPLAIN Lester Woods Missouri Department of Transportation Jefferson City, MO

IMMEDIATE PAST CHAIR Roosevelt Bradley United Brake & Clutch Service, LLC. Medley, FL

Sharmyn Elliott Somat Engineering, Inc. Member At-Large

COUNCIL OF PRESIDENTS REPRESENTATIVE ALTERNATE Meshelle Howard Maryland Transit Authority Baltimore, MD

PRESIDENT AND CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER Mioshi Moses Washington, DC

FOUNDER AND HONORARY CHAIRMAN EMERITUS The Rev. Jerry Moore Washington, DC

Greg Johnson Maryland Department of Transportation Baltimore, MD

BOARD ADVISORS

COUNCIL OF PRESIDENTS REPRESENTATIVES

Shirley DeLibero Succession Planning Advisor

Emille Williams Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority Philadelphia, PA

Aisha Eccleston Maritime Advisor

Dan Pearsall Premiere Management Corporation Denver, CO

Debra Carter Corporate Advisor

A. Bradley Mims Legislative Advisor Deborah Underwood Academic Advisor

Accelerate is a quarterly newsletter published by the Conference Of Minority Transportation Officials (COMTO) 1875 I Street, NW, Suite 500 Washington, DC 20006 info@comto.org | www.comto.org Articles may not be reproduced without the publisher’s written permission.

Publisher: Conference Of Minority Transportation Officials Editor: J Burrell Communications © 2015 All Rights Reserved

COMTO Vision Statement To see the diverse faces of America equally reflected in all levels of the transportation industry.

COMTO Mission Statement To ensure a level playing field and maximum participation in the transportation industry for minority individuals, businesses, and communities of color through advocacy, information sharing, training, educational, and professional development.

COMTO Objectives — — — —

embership Growth and Retention M Training, Education and Professional Development Advocacy and Public Awareness Historically Underutilized Businesses (HUBs)