Chief Operating Officers Introduction
Metro Team,
I'm pleased to announce that we've hired Ayodeji Arojo (pronounced "Eye-oh-day-Gee") for the role of Chief Operating Officer (COO) tentatively starting December 15. He will take over for Crystal Martin as she transitions to retirement. In this role, he will support the Operations unit at Metro, reporting to me. I'm excited for the wealth of knowledge and leadership that Ayodeji will bring.
Ayodeji is an experienced transit management professional with about two decades of experience in the industry and seven years in the non-transit industry. He started his career as an Operator with Houston Metro and advanced to the role of Transportation Services Manager there, before serving as the Chief Operating Officer at Ben Franklin Transit in Washington State for the past three years. He is a team builder who works well across departments to develop high performing organizations with strategic direction and goals that save money and improve customer service. He was named as one of the top 100 global leaders in the transportation and automotive industry in 2021.
Please join me in welcoming Ayodeji.
Metro Team,
I'm pleased to announce that we've hired Rachel Johnson for the role of Chief Administrative Officer (CAO), tentatively starting November 28. In this role, she will support the Finance, Human Resources, Legal, and Information Services functions at Metro, reporting to me. I think she will be a great fit for Metro and bring significant knowledge and leadership to the team. Please join me in welcoming her.
Rachel is a dedicated operations and administration leader with over 18 years of progressive experience and success in the legal, consulting, financial services, and coaching industries. Her breadth of experience remains rooted in a commitment to best-in-class business functions, with a focus on positivity, efficiency, and diversity. She prides herself on leading by example and inspiring and supporting excellence in others. Rachel earned a BA in Pre-Law from Georgia State University. She is passionate about Transformational Leadership, and holds two Master’s degrees from the University of Texas at Dallas - one in Management and the other in Leadership and Organizational Development. She is moving to Madison with her husband Andrew and their three rescue dogs Molly, Cora, and Oskar.
I hope to make announcements on other positions over the next few weeks.