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Allen named interim Cap Metro president/CEO
Doug Allen, Capital Metro’s executive vice president and chief development officer, will be the transit agency’s interim president and chief executive officer, the agency board decided today.
Allen, 55, will take the job at 5 p.m. Friday, coincident with current agency chief Fred Gilliam’s retirement. Allen, who was making $188,475 a year in his current position, will get what the agency called its minimum for the position: $227,667. Gilliam, taking into account deferred compensation and various allowances, was making just over $300,000 a year.
“Congratulations, Doug,” board chairwoman Margaret Gomez said after the 4-0 vote. “Get to work.”
Allen, sitting in the audience, jokingly suggested that he would hold a staff meeting at 5:05 p.m. that day.
Afterward, Allen, who came to Capital Metro in April 2008 from Dallas Area Rapid Transit, said “my job is to keep the ball rolling” while the agency board looks for a permanent leader. He declined to say if he would be a candidate.
The Capital Metro board itself is about to change, going from seven members to eight at the end of the year, with several changes likely among the current members. Board member Mike Martinez, an Austin City Council member, said the current board will put together a job description and then leave it up to the new board to conduct a search.
Permalink | Comments (16) | Post your comment Categories: Capital Metro
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By larry
October 12, 2009 5:58 PM | Link to this
Ben that just doesn’t make sense. Just last week (?) it was learned that Doug, Fred, and Ben Barnes were in negotiations with TxDOT to build the Bullet Train between San Antonio and Dallas.
The plan had no completion date because they were relying on funding from the CapMet Red Line. With that being somewhat delayed, they are saving their aluminum cans to cash in down at Hub Cap Annies.
By jsee
October 12, 2009 6:41 PM | Link to this
same s&*t, differant day! No change in leadership, just a differant skipper following the shoes of the last skipper.
By Jim in Wimberley
October 12, 2009 6:42 PM | Link to this
Why spend taxpayer money on a nationwide search for a replacement. Let Doug be the full time point man for CapMet since he knows what’s going on and what needs to be done. Bringing in a new person just doesn’t make sense in this case.
By Jim in Wimberley
October 12, 2009 6:42 PM | Link to this
Why spend taxpayer money on a nationwide search for a replacement. Let Doug be the full time point man for CapMet since he knows what’s going on and what needs to be done. Bringing in a new person just doesn’t make sense in this case.
By Bob
October 12, 2009 8:46 PM | Link to this
You’re wrong, “jsee.” Allen comes from DART where they know how to make light rail work. I think he’d be a fine replacement for the in-over-his-head non-entity who is leaving.
By notrainforyou
October 12, 2009 8:48 PM | Link to this
WTF?? This agency is going broke and they give this guy a $40,000 a year raise to be a caretaker? From what I’ve seen of this guy’s performance on MetroRail, he’s lucky to even have a job! This guy already makes $188,000 a year…what will he be doing as a caretaker to justify such a huge raise? And why is this lame duck Board of Directors writing a job description for a new CEO? That should be within the purview of the new Board.
By jesse james
October 12, 2009 9:27 PM | Link to this
Bob, if Doug did a great job in Dallas, then why isn’t he still there. Bob, you need to do your research before you jump in the boat with any do(u)g that comes along.
By its about time
October 12, 2009 9:49 PM | Link to this
Allen is only to be ceo on a very temporary basis. a national search for someone else will start when the NEW board takes over in Jan. Gomez, Cowman are out and the whole agency will be restructered with about a 40% reduction in Metro and star tran management. Put it in the bank.
By Jane
October 12, 2009 11:31 PM | Link to this
Allen came to CapMetro for a new challenge. He was at DART for a very long time, since the start of the light rail so clearly he is a skilled planner and is bringing some experience to the table in Austin. Jesse, perhaps you should do your research and not automatically diss someone who is good at their job.
By ofigennoe.ru
October 13, 2009 12:48 AM | Link to this
I do know this was a very interesting post thanks for writing it!
By ofigennoe.ru
October 13, 2009 2:49 AM | Link to this
When did paypal start holding your money for selling an item?
By jsee
October 13, 2009 6:39 AM | Link to this
Jane, I don’t beleive Mr. Allen left Dallas on his own free will. Check it out, give DART a call or someone who works for DART and find out for yourself before you start blah, blah, blah.
By eye see thru u
October 13, 2009 8:22 AM | Link to this
Jane are you Allens secretary, or just a “good friend”? This guy was forced out of DART. Face it and admit it, BIG changes in Metro management AND Star-Tran management are coming. Get your popcorn ready.
By george
October 13, 2009 9:49 AM | Link to this
i agree with jane. if you look at allen’s history he’s done good work.
By Robin
October 14, 2009 5:47 AM | Link to this
Allen can only do good work if he takes the experience of Dallas with him. Effective, competent, professional public transit is possible.
Now it will also rest on getting rid of the existing board. This too is a necessary component of a functional transit agency.
By Robin
October 14, 2009 7:10 AM | Link to this
However, I do think that Cap Metro also needs to bring in a new person also with comprehensive and effective management experience in order to gennuinely ‘clean house’.
Allen’s already having been at the agency when it experienced problems might not otherwise demonstrate how much the agency really needs to start over with ‘new’ policies and directions.