New Orleans RTA narrows CEO search to 5 candidates. See who made the cut

By Blake Paterson | Times-Picayune - New Orleans Advocate (TNS)

The search for a new CEO at the New Orleans Regional Transit Authority is down to five candidates, featuring a mix of both local applicants and out-of-state contenders.

The short-list was shared with city officials and local stakeholders earlier this month, along with a 64-page briefing book compiled by KL2 Connects, LLC, a North Carolina-based executive search firm, commenting on each candidates’ strengths and weaknesses.

The RTA board plans to hold two rounds of interviews behind closed doors in executive session in the coming weeks before publicly voting on their preferred pick, Board Chair Ann Duplessis said in an interview Thursday.

The five candidates are:

- Justin Augustine, the former regional vice president for Transdev Services, Inc.

- Herold Humphrey, an Atlanta-based public transit consultant

- Bernard Jackson, chief operating officer at the New York City Transit Authority

- Mark Major, former deputy CEO at the RTA

- Reginald “Reggie” Mason, CEO of the Greensboro Transit Agency in North Carolina

Mayor Helena Moreno also plans to meet with each of the five candidates, her chief of staff, Kevin Ferguson, said in an email Thursday.

The RTA began accepting applications for a new chief executive after former CEO Lona Edwards Hankins stepped down from the post in May after clashing with the new RTA board appointed by Moreno.

The next CEO will be paid a salary of between $250,000 and $325,000, according to the job posting, and tasked with leading an agency that last year counted more than 13.5 million passenger boardings across its fleet of streetcars, buses, ferries and paratransit shuttles.

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The finalists include two contenders with deep ties to the RTA and three outsiders.

Augustine began working at the RTA in 1983 and later worked for Transdev, the private firm that managed day-to-day operations at the RTA from 2009 to 2020. The briefing book notes he has "strong ties" to New Orleans, “extensive political relationships” at the local, state and federal level and was recognized for rebuilding efforts after Hurricane Katrina, but notes, without going into specifics, that he has been “involved in several controversies in his career” and that there are “some inconsistencies” in his application.

Major also began working at the RTA in 1983 and was the runner-up during the agency’s last CEO search in 2023. He filed a lawsuit against the RTA last year claiming he was wrongfully terminated by Hankins, but dropped the suit in July before submitting his application. Major also served on Moreno’s mayoral transition.

The briefing book notes that Major has “had several accomplishments during his service” at the RTA but that "his expertise is demonstrated more in financial and administrative areas than operations.”

Humphrey currently serves as senior vice president at EFESO Management Consultants, with previous stints leading North American transit operations at Jacobs Engineering and overseeing bus operations at agencies in Atlanta and Dallas. The briefing book describes Humphrey as “one of the most well-rounded candidates in the nation” but notes he has yet to serve as a CEO of a large system.

Jackson is the chief operating officer at the New York City Transit Authority, overseeing a $14 billion budget and workforce of more than 40,000 employees, according to his resume. He served in similar roles in Dallas and Los Angeles. The briefing book describes him as a “formidable candidate” with “extremely compelling” experience and notes that while this would be his first CEO role, “it comes at a peak time in his career in which he is well prepared for the job.”

Mason, a Louisiana native, is CEO of the Greensboro Transit Agency in North Carolina. He previously served as vice president at Hill International, a consulting firm, and in a succession of transit management roles in Houston, Atlanta and Chicago. The briefing book notes he’s held “significant management roles,” but that this would be the largest CEO role he’s filled.

Courtney Jackson, executive director of RIDE New Orleans, a rider advocacy group, said she was encouraged to see candidates with “demonstrated excellence in transit operations at agencies across the country.”

“New Orleans’ transit system cannot move into a brighter future without an experienced leader; to move beyond the status quo, we need fresh perspectives and innovative ideas,” Jackson said in a statement Thursday.

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