Following a distinguished four-year tenure as general manager that included leading King County Metro to be named the Best Large Transit Agency in North America, General Manager Rob Gannon is stepping down to take a position as chief financial officer for the city of Missoula, Mont. Deputy General Manager Terry White will serve as Interim General Manager starting August 1.
“I want to thank Rob Gannon for leading King Country Metro with his steadfast service, his core commitment to providing transit where needs are greatest, and his vision for an agency devoted to overall mobility,” said King County Executive Dow Constantine. “When Metro won Best Large Transit Agency in North America during Rob’s tenure, it recognized what King County residents already knew: that one of the great advantages of living here is a safe, equitable, and sustainable mobility agency that connects all our residents to community and opportunity.”
Gannon oversaw the transformation and restructure of Metro from a transit division to a full King County department. Under his leadership, Metro outlined a path for operating and growing transit to reduce congestion, tackle the climate crisis, and make mobility accessible and affordable for everyone—especially communities of color, people with lower incomes, and customers with disabilities.
Prior to becoming general manager in October 2016, Gannon served as Metro’s Deputy and Interim General Manager from 2013 to 2016. Before that, he served as Human Resources Manager for the King County Department of Transportation from 2011-2013.
Most recently, Gannon led Metro through the COVID-19 pandemic. From the earliest days of the crisis, Metro put the safety of passengers, employees, and community members first. The agency implemented swift changes—from daily disinfecting to passenger limits to physical distancing to mask requirements to employee leave policies—that led with King County’s values while keeping our region moving forward.
Constantine has appointed Deputy General Manager Terry White to become Interim General Manager when Gannon steps down at the end of July. White began his Metro career in 1987 and possesses both an unparalleled knowledge of the agency, and a heartfelt and highly personal connection to its employees and customers. White oversees all of Metro Operations, which includes bus, rail, and marine service, facilities, and vehicle maintenance. White also has served at Metro as a transportation planner, customer service administrator, communications superintendent, and managing director of bus operations.
Across the Puget Sound region, Metro provides bus, vanpool, and water taxi services, and operates Seattle Streetcar, Sound Transit Link light rail, and Sound Transit Express bus service. Prior to COVID-19, Metro delivered more than 400,000 trips every weekday and roughly half of downtown commuters rely on transit.
