Krauthamer & Associates Recruits CEO for Santa Cruz Metro
April 26, 2024 – After a nationwide search attracting dozens of applicants, Krauthamer & Associates recently recruited Corey Aldridge as the new CEO of Santa Cruz Metro. His appointment came almost two months after former Metro CEO/general manager Michael Tree announced he would retire from the agency, less than two years after he assumed the role. Board chair Kristen Brown called Mr. Aldridge the “ideal candidate” because of how well his background aligned with the numerous and varied efforts, including a comprehensive service transformation known as Reimagine Metro that the agency is currently involved in.”
The Santa Cruz Metro board collaborated with various stakeholders, union leaders and a Metro advisory committee throughout the hiring process and landed on Mr. Aldridge, in large part, because of the way his experience aligns with the agency’s three primary goals: increasing ridership, implementing a zero-emission master plan and incorporating affordable housing into Metro-owned transit centers.
“Corey’s experience aligns perfectly with our ongoing initiatives like Reimagine METRO, and his track record in overseeing ballot initiatives, implementing green projects, and fostering ridership growth will be invaluable,” said Ms. Brown. “We look forward to having Corey’s leadership at METRO.”
Mr. Aldridge will take over from Daniel Zaragoza, Metro’s operations deputy director who has served as its interim CEO since Tree’s departure. “I’m pleased to hear that Corey Aldridge will be joining METRO as the new CEO,” said Mr. Zaragoza. “Aldridge’s vast experience as a general manager in public transit will be an asset in furthering METRO’s key goals and vision. Additionally, Aldridge’s experience in service expansion will be vital in the rollout of Reimagine METRO Phase 2 service improvements slated to begin this summer.”
Mr. Aldridge most recently served as CEO of Mountain Line Transit in Missoula, MT, where he has been since 2015. In this role, he steered a 30 percent increase in service after a successful ballot initiative and helped secure $40 million in federal funds that went to new maintenance, administration and operations base improvements.
“At the heart of every successful transit system is its people—both our employees and the community we serve,” said Mr. Aldridge. “As the new CEO of Santa Cruz METRO, I am committed to fostering a work environment where every employee feels valued, supported, and empowered to excel. Moreover, I look forward to being an active part of the Santa Cruz community and continuing the great work already underway at METRO and beyond. Our collective success hinges on our ability to work as a unified team dedicated to serving our community’s mobility needs, ensuring we not only meet but exceed the expectations placed upon us. Together, we will drive forward to a future where public transportation is not just a service but a pillar of community strength and environmental stewardship.”
Related: Krauthamer & Associates Recruits CEO for the Greater Cleveland Regional Transit Authority
Krauthamer & Associates serves a wide range of industries, including: aviation, consumer products, healthcare, industrial, natural resources, professional services, public sector and non-profit, real estate, technology, and transportation.
Gary Krauthamer, who founded the firm in 1971, has completed more than 1,000 search assignments throughout North America, Europe, and Asia. Over the last 30 years, he has worked extensively within and across the public and private sectors. His clients can be found in the aerospace industry, federal government, entrepreneurial organizations, middle-market entities, and large multinational Fortune 100 corporations.
Corporate Angel Network Search
Krauthamer & Associates recently placed Robert Stangarone as president and CEO of the Corporate Angel Network in White Plains, NY. “The decision to bring Robert on board was driven by the recognition of his impressive background, extensive expertise and proven success as a corporate leader, journalist and pilot,” said Jean Rosanvallon, chairman of the Corporate Angel Network. “I believe he is the ideal leader to steer CAN to even greater heights.” Mr. Stangarone has decades of experience as a corporate leader, journalist, and pilot. He has worked with dozens of chairmen and CEOs and held senior management roles at United Technologies’ Pratt & Whitney and Sikorsky units, Rolls-Royce, Litton, Fairchild Dornier, Cessna Aircraft and Embraer.
Mr. Stangarone is a former flight and aerobatics instructor and has his commercial pilots license with instrument and multi-engine ratings. He is type-rated in the Cessna Citation Series business jet. Mr. Stangarone has been widely published in aviation trade and general news media, including the Washington Post, International Herald Tribune, Los Angeles Times, Aviation Week & Space Technology Magazine, Smithsonian Air & Space Magazine and Air Transport World Magazine.
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Contributed by Scott A. Scanlon, Editor-in-Chief; Dale M. Zupsansky, Executive Editor; Lily Fauver, Managing Editor – Hunt Scanlon Media
