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Statement from RTA Chairman Jim Reilly on Steve Schlickman's RTA Departure |
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When Steve Schlickman informed me a few days ago that he intended to resume his consulting practice after fulfilling the five-year commitment that he made to me and the RTA when he came on board in late 2005, I reflected back on the state of the RTA and regional transit in 2005 and the progress that has been made since.
In 2005 as a rookie Chairman seeking advice on where the RTA should be headed, I found myself naturally conferring on several occasions with a very successful consultant with many years of institutional knowledge of the RTA and service boards as well as a broad knowledge of the current state of the transit industry all across the United States. That consultant was, of course, Steve Schlickman.
Eventually it struck me that Steve would make the perfect Executive Director for the agency, but I doubted that we could entice away from his successful and lucrative consulting practice, but I decided to ask anyway. Happily, Chicago metropolitan area transit being his greatest professional interest and with all of the problems that we faced then, Steve said “yes” but even then made it known that at some point he would have to return to his business.
In 2005, the transit system in northeastern Illinois was on the verge of financial collapse. In 2005, the RTA had not done an overall strategic plan in over 15 years.
Since that time, an incredible amount has been accomplished largely due to Steve’s leadership. Despite the current economic downturn, the system is in much better shape now, the initial Strategic Plan was completed in 2007 and a major revision is currently underway that will hopefully be finished before Steve leaves us in October. And at the federal level, Steve has formed a coalition of the largest transit systems in the country, putting us in an excellent position to benefit from the upcoming reauthorization of the federal surface transportation bill.
All of us at the RTA, members of the Board and staff, will miss Steve but we all respect his decision that it is time to move on and wish him well in all future endeavors. Every transit rider in the region owes Steve a debt of gratitude. And I will personally miss his steady guidance and indefatigable energy, but I look forward to continuing our friendship in the years to come.
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