The Memphis Area Transit Authority has selected two finalists for the role of next CEO, according to records obtained by MLK50: Justice Through Journalism. They’re vying to replace interim CEO John Lewis, whose contract ends this month.
The two candidates are Reginald A. Mason, who has worked as the CEO of the Greensboro Transit Agency in North Carolina since 2023, and Lois G. Pittman, who was chief operating officer for Rock Region METRO in Arkansas from 2023 until June of this year.
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The two candidates are expected to visit Memphis next week to be interviewed by MATA’s Board ahead of its regular Wednesday meeting. The interviews will be open to the public, although residents won’t be allowed to ask the candidates questions. The meeting schedule has not been announced yet.
Board members are expected to hold a “special-called” board meeting where they’ll vote to make an offer to one of the candidates. A date for that meeting has not yet been set.
Both candidates have extensive experience with transit agencies across the country, although MLK50 has not learned if either has helped turn around a distressed system like MATA. Both have previously worked for the Chicago Transit Authority, which operates one of the largest public transportation systems in the country, and left before its current $800 million budget shortfall.
Before his role in Greensboro, Mason was an executive at a rail and transit engineering firm for three years. He also worked for the Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority, according to his resume.
Before her role at Rock Region METRO, Pittman was deputy executive director of the Detroit Department of Transportation for nearly two years. She’s also worked for IndyGo, Indianapolis’ public transit agency, and the South Florida Regional Transit Authority, according to her resume.
The timing of the CEO search means MATA is likely to go some period of time without a CEO at the helm. Lewis and his team from TransPro were hired on an interim basis in January.
How to attend MATA’s finalists interviews, board meeting
Meetings of the MATA Board are announced here and can be watched via live stream.
The public can attend those meetings in person. They are held in the basement auditorium of One Commerce Square, located at 40 S Main St Memphis, TN 38103.
The board’s next regular meeting is 3:30 on August 27. Memphians can fill out a “comment card” to make a short remark to the board. Comments can also be made by email at boardcomments@matatransit.com.
The times for candidate interviews have not yet been announced, but will likely occur before the 3:30 p.m. board meeting. Remarks or questions from the public will not be allowed during those interviews.Memphis residents wishing to comment on either the CEO process or a candidate can fill out a “comment card” at the board meeting.
According to recent polling done by TransPro, MATA riders most want a CEO who will make service better and easier to use, who will talk with and listen to customers and who understands the community.
“Whoever you choose for … CEO, make sure he has a relationship with these bus riders and with the public,” said Sammie Hunter, co-chair of the Memphis Bus Riders Union, at a July meeting of the board.
MATA originally resisted the release of information for the top five candidates, delaying the fulfillment of MLK50’s records request for nearly a month. Personnel records, including application materials, are deemed public record under the Tennessee Public Records Act.
At one point, MATA denied access to the records, telling MLK50 that it “treats job applications and resumes as confidential during the active recruitment process.”
A representative of the Tennessee Comptroller’s Office of Open Records Counsel told MLK50 Wednesday that he was “not aware of any legal authorization for MATA to decline to provide candidate information as they are describing.”
MATA’s legal counsel provided the documents on Thursday after MLK50 began seeking comment on Wednesday for a story about the possible violation of the open records act.
Katherine Burgess is the government accountability reporter for MLK50: Justice Through Journalism. Contact her at katherine.burgess@mlk50.com
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