Image courtesy of the Maryland Aviation Administration.

Image courtesy of the Maryland Aviation Administration.

Metro named Paul Wiedefeld its new general manager and chief executive yesterday.

“I am humbled and excited to learn of the Board’s unanimous support, but believe it is inappropriate to comment further until the Board takes its final action at the November 19th meeting,” Wiedefeld said in a Metro press release.

He has not yet finalized a contract, though Metro expects to do so before the formal appointment on the 19th.

According to the Washington Post, Wiedefeld will make more money than his predecessor Richard Sarles, who was paid $366,000 annually.

“I don’t think he’ll be the ­highest-paid public official in the region, but he’ll be awfully close to that,” Metro Board Chairman Mortimer Downey told the Post. “He’s got the biggest public-sector job in the region.”

Sarles had a larger salary than any District employee. The top-paid D.C. government employee is UDC President Ronald Mason Jr., who makes $303,850 per year.

The Board unanimously selected Wiedefeld after its top choice candidate dropped out of the running. He has 30 years of experience in public and private sector transportation management, including two stints as the CEO of Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport and a two-year tenure as the director of the Maryland Transit Authority.

Here are some responses to Metro’s announcement, from the serious to the silly:

WMATA Riders’ Union:

We trust that Paul Wiedefeld represents the very best of the worldwide candidate pool available to WMATA, and that the Board and executive search committee has been appreciative of his track record with public-facing transit and transportation organizations. WMATARU hopes that the Board and Mr. Wiedefeld will come to terms on a contract and approve it as soon as possible. WMATA is an agency sorely in need of new and stable leadership. The Riders’ Union looks forward to meeting with Mr. Wiedefeld to hear his plans for reforming WMATA and in order to present him with a number of rider concerns and suggestions. WMATARU also hopes that Mr. Wiedefeld will join us as a regular rider of the system so that he experiences and understands the issues that riders face daily.

Virginia Governor Terry McAuliffe:

“Mr. Wiedefeld’s significant experience in managing safety and operations in the transit industry will surely serve him well as he steps into his role with Metro. I am hopeful that this appointment, though overdue, will give WMATA the stability and expertise it needs to produce meaningful change across the agency.”

Senators from Maryland and Virginia (Mark R. Warner, Barbara Mikulski, Tim Kaine, and Ben Cardin):

“We’re pleased to finally see this progress in bringing on new management for Metro after a year-long search. As federal lawmakers, we have been strong advocates and effective partners for Metro. In his years of service to BWI, Mr. Wiedefeld has proven himself to be a creative and successful infrastructure manager in the public sector.”

Virginia Congressman Gerry Connolly:

The timing of this hire could not be more critical. There is a crisis in safety as investigations by the NTSB and the FTA once again uncovered significant operational challenges, including the shocking lack of a safety culture, so Mr. Wiedefeld’s transit experience will prove invaluable in addressing these challenges. There also is a crisis in confidence among riders, employees, and stakeholders after a tumultuous and tragic year in which service disruptions are now a near-daily occurrence that have eroded ridership. And there is a crisis in management and leadership, including the public disarray within the Metro Board, which contributed to this protracted and frustrating hiring process.

Maryland Congressman Chris Van Hollen:

I am glad that the WMATA Board has finally settled on a General Manager. For far too long, Metro riders have endured unacceptable lapses in safety and service. WMATA needs a strong leader to address its challenges and restore confidence in the agency. Mr. Wiedefeld has experience in our region, and I look forward to working with him to ensure Metro meets the high standards my constituents expect and deserve.

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