This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2016, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.

The Utah Transit Authority Board of Trustees is committed to ensuring that the services UTA provides contribute to the mobility, air quality, economy and quality of life of all Wasatch Front residents, both today and for future generations. After spending the past decade building the rail network, UTA is now focused on expanding service, improving connections and providing a positive experience for our riders.

The board of trustees has also been engaged in making significant changes and reforms at UTA. Over the past two years we have been implementing programs and policies designed to increase transparency and accountability in a committed effort to build public trust in the agency's stewardship of taxpayer resources.

Accomplishing this requires experienced and credible leadership, and last week the executive committee of the UTA Board of Trustees recommended that Jerry Benson be appointed to the position of president and CEO. A final decision will be made by the board on Aug. 31, following a period of time for the public and trustees to review Benson's background and qualifications.

The board is committed to finding the best person to serve as president and CEO. Our recommendation follows an extensive 12-month national search during which we received more than 120 applications from the public and private sector, visited with community stakeholders, reached out to potential candidates and conducted interviews.

During this process, it became more and more evident that Benson's operations experience, his focus on service and his work with the board during this period of change and reform make him the most uniquely qualified candidate to lead UTA at this critical time. While Benson originally asked not to be considered for the position so that he could focus on his responsibilities as interim president and CEO, we asked him to reconsider.

Benson has worked at UTA for more than 32 years. Prior to his current assignment, he worked almost exclusively in the operations and operations support areas as UTA's chief operating officer, chief performance officer, director of human resources, director of corporate communications and manager of personnel and labor relations. Benson has a Ph.D. in organizational communication, a master's in human resource management and a bachelor's degree in organizational communication. He has a passion for training and mentoring employees, he uses the system regularly to understand the rider experience and he has implemented agency-wide programs that have increased the efficiency and performance of our bus and rail network.

UTA's focus on service is directly aligned with Benson's experience in operations. He also understands the challenges facing the agency, having worked closely with the board during the past year on the changes and reforms we have implemented. Benson is fully engaged in continuing these efforts to deliver excellent transit service to our riders and to demonstrate the highest standards of accountability and transparency to the residents of the Wasatch Front.

Benson is a highly qualified and trusted leader, well regarded by employees, local officials and stakeholders, and he is respected throughout the national transit industry. Beyond his experience, he is passionate about the work UTA does and understands how our services affect the daily lives of riders. He wants UTA to be successful and earn the confidence of the people we serve. We are excited to recommend Jerry Benson as the right person to lead UTA at this time.

H. David Burton has been chair of the UTA Board of Trustees since late 2014. Before that he served as vice chair. He was appointed to the UTA board by Gov. Gary Herbert.