Sonoma-Marin Area Rail Transit - Management

Management

In January 2011, General Manager Lilian Hames, who had led the project for a decade, resigned amid ongoing concern about the rail system's financial challenges and the necessity to build the system in phases. David Heath, the Chief Financial Officer, took over management duties until the appointment later that year of Farhad Mansourian as acting General Manager. In August of 2011, Mansourian was appointed permanent General Manager. At the November 2011 SMART Board meeting, Heath was terminated "without cause," and Mansourian assumed both financial and general management responsibilities for the project.

Mansourian had served for many years as Director of Public Works for Marin County, and his combined annual compensation from SMART ($346,000) and Marin County pension ($148,000) raised some questions initially. SMART board members said that the threat of a SMART repeal effort made bringing a general manager from an out of state rail system to the San Francisco Bay Area even more costly. They concluded that Mansourian's demonstrated abilities during his temporary assignment coupled with his knowledge of California permitting requirements and successful delivery of complex public works projects in Marin County made him the best candidate.