Massport Board Votes to Approve Permanent CEO
The Board also voted a starting salary of $420,000, starting no later than September 9th, 2024.
BOSTON –The Massachusetts Port Authority (Massport) Board of Directors voted today to offer Richard Davey the position of Chief Executive Officer and Executive Director for a five-year term. The Board also voted a starting salary of $420,000, starting no later than September 9th, 2024.
The search firm Isaacson, Miller sought a diverse candidate pool for the position. Nearly 100 people expressed interest, of those 48 candidates were considered and 10 candidates made the first round. Three candidates were advanced to a second round earlier this month. Of the 10 first round candidates, half were women and six were people of color. The Committee advanced Eulois Cleckley and Richard Davey as finalists at a public meeting on May 16.
For the past two years, Davey has served as the President of the MTA’s New York City Transit, where he oversees the largest mass transit system in North America with 47,000 employees, over 6.5M daily customers and a $10B operating budget.
“Davey’s vast transportation experience makes him an ideal candidate for the position to lead the Authority,” said Massport Board Chairwoman Patricia Jacobs. “We are thrilled to be bringing someone on board with so much experience leading large and complex organizations. Davey will be building upon a solid foundation. The senior leadership team has kept the Authority in good standing, with strong bond ratings and growth across the three business lines, as well as strategic investments to reduce emissions, attract more business, improve the customer experience, while being a good neighbor.”
Davey is no stranger to Massachusetts. He has held various transportation leadership roles from 2003-2014 serving as the General Manager of the Massachusetts Bay Commuter Rail; the General Manager of the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority; and the Commonwealth’s Secretary of Transportation. The Secretary of Transportation serves as an ex officio member of the Massport Board, and Davey was also the Massport Board Chairman for a period during his tenure.
Prior to the position at the MTA, Davey served as a consultant and advisor. His work focused on transportation and infrastructure topics, such as green vehicle technology, and the future of mobility. During this period, he was a sought-after speaker at various forums, including the MIT Sustainability Summit, National Governors Association, the Aspen Institute’s Future of Cities.
Davey earned a bachelor’s degree in political science from the College of the Holy Cross, and a law degree from Gonzaga.
Massport was created by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in 1956 as a revenue-generating, public authority, capable of issuing its own revenue bonds—without the full faith and credit of the Commonwealth—and governed by a publicly appointed Board of Directors. Massport employs nearly 1,300 people and there are an additional 20,000 employed at various facilities by our tenants.
Massport owns and operates Boston Logan International Airport, public terminals in the Port of Boston, Hanscom Field and Worcester Regional Airport. Massport’s premier transportation facilities generate more than $20 billion annually and enhance and enable economic growth and vitality in New England. More about Massport can be found at www.massport.com.
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