June 23, 2021
The
CAREERS Special Edition
Page 3
INSIDE L O C A L N E W S
Week in Review
M ETRO
C LASSIFIED /B IDS
page 2
page 12
pages 14-15
TriMet’s Board of Directors has named Sam Desue Jr. as their new general manager, becoming the
first Black leader of Oregon’s largest transit agency. Desue is pictured early last month when he
joined members of the Amalgamated Transit Union, including Local 757 President Shirley Block to
receive their first COVID-19 vaccine shots.
TriMet Names First Black GM
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Transit leader
promoted
following
national search
TriMet’s Board of Directors
last week named Sam Desue Jr. as
the transit agency’s new General
Manager, becoming the first Black
leader in TriMet’s five-decade his-
tory.
Desue has extensive experience
at transit agencies in Seattle, Kan-
sas City and most recently in Port-
land where he served as TriMet’s
interim General Manager and
Chief Operating Officer.
“When Sam joined TriMet in
2019, he quickly established him-
self as a proven, measured, and
years of transit expertise, custom-
er-driven vision, commitment to
building consensus and his hu-
manity are sure to benefit transit
riders and the agency for years to
come.”
“I am honored to be selected by
the board as the next General Man-
ager of this impressive agency,”
Desue said in a statement. “While
we are collectively facing signif-
icant challenges as we recover
from the impacts of the pandem-
ic, I have full confidence in the
TriMet team, our regional partners
and in the strength of the commu-
nity we serve. With a critical lens
on equity and social justice, I will
Sam Desue Jr.
diligently work to advance new
thoughtful leader who was com- customer, safety, maintenance and
mitted to safety, service and the climate initiatives.”
community,” said TriMet Board
C ontinued on p age 13
President Bruce Warner. “His
Smith Announces
Run for Congress
Former Multnomah County Commissioner Lo-
retta Smith, a longtime leader in Portland’s African
American community, announced Tuesday that she
will be running for Congress to represent Oregon
from a new congressional seat.
“Big news - I’m running for Oregon’s new Con-
gressional seat to fight for the change our vibrant,
diverse community so desperately deserves,” Smith
said, making the announcement on her Facebook
C ontinued on p age 10
Loretta Smith