Clean Fuel News

CATS Committee Taps Interim CEO Deville for Permanent Job

The search committee charged with finding a new CEO to lead the Capital Area Transit System is recommending interim CEO William Deville for the position.

The committee made its recommendation earlier today, after completing interviews with Deville and the other finalist for the job, Jonathan Davis, a retired executive with the Massachusetts Bay Transit Authority.

The recommendation was offered even though some called for the process to be delayed until after the upcoming mayoral election.

The committee spent nearly six months searching for a replacement for former CEO Bob Mirabito, who stepped down in April. It culled through more than 170 applications from around the country, narrowing the list this summer.

“Bill Deville has served CATS well as the interim CEO, most recently leading the agency’s response from the Baton Rouge flooding, during which CATS evacuated 6,000 residents,” says CEO search committee chair Ken Perret in a statement. “Bill has a vision for the future of CATS, which includes finding innovative ways to improve our fleet so that we are improving our service to riders in this community.”

Deville came to CATS in late 2013 with MV Transportation, which was awarded a $1.4 million management contract to help implement route changes and system upgrades. After MV’s two-year contract ended, Deville stayed on as CATS’ chief operating officer. He became interim CEO after Mirabito’s departure.

While CATS has remained a target of harsh criticism by many for its inefficiencies, the nonprofit group Together Baton Rouge, which has tracked its progress over the past three years, says the agency has seen improvements under Deville’s leadership.

“It’s a work in progress,” says Broderick Bagert, executive director of Together Baton Rouge. “But it’s a lot better than it was before and it still can be salvaged and will benefit from some good leadership, though I can’t say whether Bill Deville is that person.”

Deville brings more than three decades of mass transit experience to the position, including having spent nearly two decades at New Orleans’ Regional Transit Authority. He headed the agency for several years in the early 2000s, though his tenure there ended in controversy after he was demoted and later fired for signing contracts without board approval. He unsuccessfully sued NORTA in U.S. District Court, claiming defamation and breach of contract.

Through a CATS spokesperson, CATS Board Chairman Jim Brandt says the lawsuit is not a concern.

In a statement about Deville’s selection, Brandt says the board is “excited about what the future brings for our riders and our staff. We will move forward with bringing Bill’s confirmation to the full board next week.”