General Manager
Ben Franklin Transit

Number of employees you oversee: 418

Brief background about the business:

Ben Franklin Transit is a municipal corporation formed in 1981 that provides public transportation services in a 618-square-mile area in Benton and Franklin counties. Our services include fixed-route buses, Dial-A-Ride, Vanpool, CONNECT and General Demand services in Prosser and Benton City.

Fixed route is the bus system most people are familiar with, but we also offer:

• Dial-A-Ride, which is door-to-door transportation for people whose disabilities prevent them from using the fixed-route bus system.

• Vanpool, supporting groups of five to 15 people who commute to work together in passenger vans.

• CONNECT, designed primarily for customers who do not live within our service area to help them get to and from bus stops and transit centers to access fixed-route services.

• General Demand services, which connect riders to predesignated stops within Prosser and Benton City. Riders must request service via phone.

How did you land your current role? How long have you been in it?

I spent 14 years working for the Union Pacific Railroad in different facets of transportation and maintenance. After 14 years in the private sector, I was excited about the opportunity to serve the public when I was offered a role at New York City Transit as a chief officer of stations and operations. Looking to expand my network and experience across the border, I joined the Canadian National Railway as the general manager of network operations for the U.S. and Canada, based out of Chicago. Following that, I took the position of executive director of transportation at TriMet in Portland, which got me back to the Pacific Northwest. I picked up the Tri-City Herald one day and saw that the BFT general manager was retiring and started watching for the recruitment. I grew up in Pendleton, so this job allowed me to relocate home. Along the way, I earned my bachelor’s degree in business management from the University of Wisconsin.

I have been the general manager at Ben Franklin Transit for nine months.

What are the biggest challenges Ben Franklin Transit faces in 2023?

We are exploring options to provide service to Hanford and other large employers as we work to better support the community. We have a new operations building under construction as well as a new transit center. The biggest challenge we face in 2023 will be juggling priorities in terms of our expansion and growth while continuing that small-town, customer-focused, treat-people-like-family experience that we don’t want to lose sight of.

What, if anything, has surprised you about transportation in the Tri-Cities?

How underutilized our services are! Ben Franklin Transit is one of the most affordable transportation networks I’ve seen anywhere. We offer clean, reliable, consistent transportation with a great track record of on-time performance in getting people where they need or want to go. It also gives people who can’t drive the ability to go out and socialize, shop, dine out and attend church, for starters. Public transit enhances the health of our community.

What do you see as the role of public transportation in the Tri-Cities?

Public transportation connects people to education, work, health care, shopping and leisure activities. It helps support businesses by ensuring that people can get to work on a daily basis.

We also support large-scale community events by offering shuttle service to and from the fair, Art in the Park and the Water Follies.

This year we will offer shuttle service to the River of Fire Festival, which will allow more people to attend, since folks were turned away last year when they ran out of parking. Public transportation also helps to reduce carbon emissions and take vehicles off the road, resulting in less traffic congestion.

What is one characteristic that you believe every leader should possess?

Integrity. I would also add trust and transparency.

What is the biggest challenge facing business owners/managers today?

The changing workforce and being able to retain and develop employees in a competitive market.

If you had a magic wand, what would you change about your industry/field?

There is the perception that public transit is only for the economically disadvantaged, but it is not. It’s really for all ages and demographics and is economically beneficial for everyone. We support our community’s youth in traveling, getting to and from school and being able to have independence at a young age with our Free Youth Pass. We also play a similar role in keeping our seniors independent, and they also ride free with our Senior Pass. With more people moving to the area, public transportation is going to be the heartbeat of a thriving economy.

What advice would you give someone going into a leadership position for the first time?

Don’t be so hard on yourself – we all make mistakes. Build relationships at all levels. I think that one of the most important things people can do is to network and build a support system for themselves inside and outside of their agency or company.

Who are your role models or mentors?

My mother instilled a strong work ethic in me from a young age; I attribute much of my success to the example and expectations she set for me. I’ve had many other mentors who were instrumental in coaching and developing me throughout my career at Union Pacific and after I left. My husband has been a strong mentor, coach and listening ear as I’ve celebrated successes and worked through challenges.

How do you keep your employees (or team members) motivated?

Frequent touchpoints. I am big on collaboration, communication and teamwork. We all push each other to keep things moving forward, and it is a team effort; it is never on one person’s shoulders.

How did you decide to pursue the career that you are working in today?

I hired on as an apprentice mechanic at Union Pacific right out of high school and I thought when I finished my apprenticeship, I would leave the industry. Instead, I found I loved the industry. It really doesn’t feel like work because I enjoy what I’m doing so much.

How do you measure success in your workplace?

If we are supporting our customers, delivering for the community and looking for opportunities to grow and continuously improve, I think that’s a huge measure of success.

What do you consider your leadership style to be?

Direct, transparent and collaborative. You know where you stand.

How do you balance work and family life?

I try to limit checking emails and handling work-related tasks during my personal time, that way I have a separation between my work and family life. If it’s my weekend off, I try my best to not check my phone frequently so that I can maximize my time with my family.

What do you like to do when you are not at work?

Anything outdoors – hike, camp, fish, ride four-wheelers. I love to travel and go to national parks, and I love going to baseball games! I’ve been to nine Major League Baseball stadiums, and I usually try to get down to spring training in Arizona every few years.

What’s your best time management strategy?

My calendar. I keep everything calendarized so I can stay on schedule.

Best tip to relieve stress? 

Exercise – go for a walk, go for a run, go for a hike, hit the treadmill.

What’s your favorite podcast?

“Dateline” is my favorite podcast. I listen to it primarily while on road trips.

Do you have a personal mantra, phrase, or quote you like to use?

I love baseball, and my favorite quote is one from Babe Ruth: “The way a team plays as a whole determines its success. You may have the greatest bunch of individual stars in the world, but if they don’t play together, the club won’t be worth a dime.”