 The METRO Board of Directors met today and voted to authorize contract negotiations that will secure the leadership role of Thomas C. Lambert - who has served as the Authority's Interim President & CEO for more than a year now.
Lambert was serving as METRO's Executive Vice President when the Board asked him to temporarily take over the reigns following the December 2012 resignation of then-President and CEO George Greanias.
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During the past year Lambert has earned the respect and admiration of METRO staff and Board members as well as community leaders involved in public transit service.
METRO Chairman Gilbert Garcia said, during today's Board meeting, "I think the organization is better with your (Lambert's) leadership."
Other Board members weighed in with high praises for Lambert's work. Judge Dwight Jefferson added that Lambert had "... done a great job with the people and the agency."
Lambert's 34-year tenure with METRO includes nearly 30 in a public safety role. He was METRO's police chief when he was tapped to become the agency's chief administrative officer.
Lambert noted, “I am honored to be chosen by the Board to help achieve their expectations of making public transit accessible, safe and efficient. That requires negotiation, predictability, thoroughness and a commitment to service. I practiced those skills as the Authority's public safety lead and in my administrative roles. I am very excited to be given another opportunity to help this Authority meet the Board's expectations."
As President and CEO Lambert will lead METRO’s 34-hundred staff members to execute the Board's vision for regional public transit.
Lambert ended, "I have been given authority to lead an organization of committed transit professionals, and help them execute the Board's goal of moving people around the greater Houston region as quickly and pleasantly as possible. I intend to help our folks do just that."
THOMAS C. LAMBERT Interim President & Chief Executive Officer Metropolitan Transit Authority of Harris County
Thomas C. Lambert became Interim President & Chief Executive Officer of the Metropolitan Transit Authority of Harris County (METRO) in January 2013, overseeing the management and operations of transit services for the nation’s fourth largest city.
He was promoted to that position following service as the Authority's Executive Vice President. He previously also served as Senior Vice President and Chief Administrative Officer, where he was responsible for numerous departments including: METRO Police, Performance Improvement, Safety, Real Estate & Property Management, Information Technology, Facilities Maintenance, Safety, Human Resources, Marketing & Corporate Communications, Office of Small Business, Procurement & Materials, and Compliance, EEO, ER, & Organizational Development.
Mr. Lambert's tenure at METRO is also memorable for his longstanding role as Senior Vice President & Chief of Police of the Department of Public Safety (currently METRO Police) where he directed and managed police operations, traffic management activities, High Occupancy Vehicle lane operations and management, emergency preparedness and operations, intelligent transportation systems projects and system safety. Before joining METRO in 1979, Mr. Lambert served as a Senior Police Officer with the Austin Police Department in Austin, Texas.
He has served as a member of the Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS) Advisory Committee for the United States Department of Transportation, Past Chairman of the Intelligent Transportation Society (ITS) of America's Board of Directors and member of its Executive Committee, as Chairman and member of the American Public Transportation Association Public Safety Committee, Chairman of the Transportation Security Administration Peer Advisory Group, Chairman of the Leadership Team at Houston TranStar (the Houston region's transportation and emergency management center), member of the Advisory Board of the University of Houston-Downtown Criminal Justice Training Center Law Enforcement Academy, member of the FBI's Joint Terrorism Task Force Executive Board, member and Past President of the Houston Area Chiefs of Police Association, member of the Texas Police Chief’s Association, and is a life member of the International Association of Chiefs of Police. He currently serves as a lecturer/instructor at the Law Enforcement Management Institute Command College at Sam Houston State University.
Mr. Lambert holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in political science from Southwest Texas State University and a Master of Arts degree in public administration from the University of Houston.
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