Carolyn Flowers Moderates Panel of COMTO Trailblazers to Celebrate 50th Anniversary

The #COMTO50 Kick-Off Celebration event was such a success, they decided to do a part two! This Thursday at 2pm, COMTO trailblazers Carolyn Flowers, Dr. Beverly A. Scott, Ph.D., Jackie Davison, and Will Scott will share their historical perspectives on the 50th anniversary of the Conference of Minority Transportation Officials (COMTO). #COMTO50

You can register for the event here: https://lnkd.in/eX6ggPG

Moderator

Carolyn Flowers Managing Principal, InfraStrategies, LLC

Carolyn Flowers joined InfraStrategies LLC in February 2019 as Managing Principal and partner providing strategic advisory consulting services in transit and rail. Prior to that she worked at AECOM, the largest global engineering firm, for two years as Senior Vice President leading client and industry relations, business development and marketing strategy for the public transit business line in United States and Canada.

She was a Presidential appointee, serving two years at the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) in roles of Senior Advisor and was appointed as Acting Administrator during the last nine months of the Obama Administration.

From 2010 to 2015 she served as Chief Executive Officer/Director of Public Transit for Charlotte Area Transit System (CATS), leading bus and rail transit planning, capital construction and operations.

Prior to joining the City of Charlotte, Flowers was Chief Operations Officer for Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA), leading bus operations and Freeway Service Patrol units. In all, she spent nineteen years at MTA in progressively responsible positions in budget and transit operations.

Flowers is currently serving on the American Public Transportation Association’s (APTA) Board of Directors. She is on the Mobility and Leadership committees. She previously served as Co-Chair of the New Mobility Paradigm, Co-Chair of Reauthorization Task Force and was on APTA’s Publication Advisory, Legislative, and Awards committees. She also served on the Board of Directors for the North American Transit Services Association (NATSA), the profit service arm of APTA.

She has served in the past on the Executive Committee of the Transit Cooperative Research Board and is currently serving on several other industry and association boards; the Transit Cooperative Research Program (TCRP) Oversight and Project Selection, Women’s Transportation Seminar (WTS) and the Eno Foundation.

In addition, Flowers has experience serving on private boards. She is a member of the board of directors for MV Transportation, a privately held company that is the only US owned transportation services company and an independent director for Cubic Corporation, a manufacturer of transit fare and defense system solutions.

In 2007, she was recognized as the Tom Bradley Alumnus of the Year by the UCLA Black Alumni Association, an award named for the first African-American Mayor of Los Angeles who was a champion of public transportation. In 2008, she was named Woman of the Year by the Los Angeles Chapter of the Women’s Transportation Seminar. She also received the Ambassador award for volunteer work with the American Stroke Association and was given a special recognition award for public service by the Greater Los Angeles African- American Chamber of Commerce as well as a recipient of the National Women’s History Month award from the Black Business Association of Los Angeles.

She was named by UCLA Anderson School of Business as one of 75 most Inspirational graduates in their first 100 years and is the 2018 recipient of the Friends of Eno Award for her volunteer service to the workforce development programs at the Eno Foundation.

Flowers is a graduate of the 2003 APTA Transportation Leadership Program, participated on the 2005 international study project for the National Association of Sciences (sponsored by the Eno Foundation for Transportation Studies) and graduated from the executive leadership development program sponsored by the Eno Center for Transit Leadership.

She previously served on Johnson C. Smith University Board of Visitors, the Foundation for the Carolinas Charlotte-Mecklenburg Fund Board of Directors, the Institute for Transportation Research and Education (ITRE) Board and the advisory Board for the Women’s Intercultural Exchange (WIE).

She received a bachelor’s degree in History and Political Science and a master’s degree in Business Administration (MBA) in Finance and Marketing from the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA).

Panelists

Jackie Davison President and Founder, Davison Realty & Management Company

Jackie Davison is the president and founder of Davison Realty & Management Company, a property management and institutional asset disposition company. The firm has offices in Birmingham, Alabama and Tampa, Florida with over 45 years of continuous operations. Jackie completed undergraduate studies at Tennessee State University majoring in Business Administration. He is also a graduate of Rutgers University Graduate School of Business earning an MBA in Real Estate and Finance.

Jackie, in his early years taught accounting at Tuskegee University in Tuskegee, Alabama, Miles College in Birmingham, Alabama and Talladega College in Talladega, Alabama.

His participation in the transportation industry began with the Birmingham Jefferson County Transportation Authority as a board member subsequently becoming its’ Chairman. He became a member of COMTO, APTA and a NTI board member. It was at COMTO where he developed his passion for the transportation industry and its participants, later becoming the Chairman of the Board of Directors.

Beverly A. Scott, Ph.D. CEO, Beverly Scott Associates, LLC Founder, Introducing Youth to American Infrastructure, Inc Dr. Scott is a frequent speaker on the critical need to invest in smart, next generation infrastructure to advance American competitiveness, sustainable outcomes, and “shared prosperity”. Beverly Scott Associates, LLC, is an infrastructure-focused executive management consultant practice which specializes in workforce development at all levels; and, advancing practical approaches and solutions to challenging situations that advance equity and inclusion–and help to achieve positive outcomes for “all” people and communities. She is also the Founder, Introducing Youth to American Infrastructure, Inc. (“Iyai+”), a national non-profit dedicated to inspiring, educating, and engaging today’s youth to be tomorrow’s “community builders” — American infrastructure leaders, skilled workforce, innovators, and entrepreneurs, – with special emphasis on improving the active participation of our most vulnerable youth and historically underutilized groups in infrastructure careers – people of color and women.

She serves as a Senior Fellow at the Transportation Learning Center, the only national transportation labor-management partnership focused on skills training, research, safety and health for the sector’s frontline workforce; a Research Associate at the Mineta Transportation Institute at San Jose State University; in an Advisory capacity to the Charles Hamilton Houston Institute for Race and Justice at Harvard University Law School in the areas of transportation, infrastructure, and equity; on the Equiticity, Executive Advisory Committee, Chicago (); as Vice Chair, Jobs To Move America, Board of Directors; and a Manager, Parker Infrastructure Partners, LLC.

In 2011, she was appointed by President Obama to the National Infrastructure Advisory Council (NIAC), a panel of experts including top business executives, leading academics and local government officials who report to the White House through the U.S. Department of Homeland Security with responsibility for making policy recommendations to protect and preserve the physical assets that are critical to the U.S. economy and national security. In 2012, she was appointed NIAC Vice-Chair and currently serves in that capacity. In 2019, she was appointed by State Treasurer Fiona Ma to the California High Speed Rail Peer Review Group. Dr. Scott served on the San Francisco MUNI (SFMTA) Reliability Working Group assembled in June 2019 by San Francisco Mayor London Breed, with Supervisors Mandelman and Peskin to review performance of the City’s current bus and rail system and recommend actionable steps for consideration by the incoming Director of Transportation. Most recently, she was appointed to serve on the Pacific Gas & Electric Sustainability Advisory Council.

Dr. Scott’s career in the public transportation industry spans more than three decades, including four appointments as General Manager/CEO–the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA) and Rail & Transit Administrator for the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, the Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority (MARTA), the Sacramento Regional Transit Authority (SRTD), and the Rhode Island Public Transit Authority (RIPTA), one of four statewide public transit systems. She has also served in senior level positions at the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (New York), New Jersey Transit Corporation (NJT), the Washington Metropolitan Area Transportation Authority (WMATA), Dallas Area Rapid Transit (DART), and the Houston Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (Houston METRO).

Named to the American Public Transportation Authority’s Hall of Fame in 2020, this special honor is reserved for individuals who have long and distinguished careers in the industry; have made extraordinary contributions to public transportation; and who have actively participated in APTA activities. Dr. Scott is recognized throughout the U.S. and North American transportation industry for her visionary leadership, results driven management style; focus on people and communities; and progressive approach to labor-management relations. Among her most notable industry contributions is her pivotal leadership role in the critical areas of workforce and leadership development and work to improve outcomes for people and communities – particularly our most vulnerable. In this regard, she is an ardent proponent for equity and inclusion; and, significantly increased “people development and investment” at all levels.

Throughout her career, she has received numerous awards and recognitions, i.e., the Hubert Humphrey Award for Distinguished Public Service from the American Political Science Association (APSA), Government Sector Pinnacle Award from the Greater Boston Chamber of Commerce for Outstanding Service, the prestigious Sharon A. Banks Humanitarian Service Award from the Transportation Research Board, National Academies of Science; named Woman of the Year by the Women’s Transportation Seminar (WTS International), and, recognized by the Conference of Minority Transportation Officials (COMTO) as a “Woman Who Moves the Nation”. She was named a “Transportation Innovator of Change” by President Barack Obama and the U.S. Department of Transportation for her long record of exemplary leadership and service in the transportation industry.

She is a past Chairperson of the American Public Transportation Association (APTA) and Rail-Volution (railvolution.org); Board member, Conference of Minority Transportation Officials (COMTO), American Public Transportation Foundation (APTF), Women’s Transportation Seminar International (WTS) and the WTS Foundation Boards; and, the Transportation Research Board TOPS Committee.

Dr. Scott holds a doctorate in political science, with a specialization in public administration from Howard University; and a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from Fisk University (magna cum laude and Phi Beta Kappa).

Will Scott CEO, Will Scott & Company, LLC

Will Scott has spent over 40 years as a corporate executive in the transportation industry. He started his career in public transportation with ATE Management & Service Company, Inc., which managed and operated mass transit systems across the country. At ATE, he rose to the position of Executive Vice President. He also held the position of Vice President of Marketing and Strategic Services with two of ATE’s successor firms (Ryder Public Transportation Services and First Group North America).

After taking an early retirement with First Group, he established a management consulting practice, Will Scott & Company, LLC, which provides such services as talent acquisition, executive coaching, strategic planning, organizational development and policy board training and development. Currently “semi-retired,” Will occasionally takes on limited consulting engagements. He has successfully recruited C-suite professionals for public transportation organizations across the country.

Will also worked for Professional Transit Management, LTD, where he rose to the position of President and Chief Operations Officer. PTM, which was eventually acquired by Transdev North America, provided management services on behalf of public transit organizations across the country. Prior to his career in public transportation, Will held managerial positions with the Ford Motor Company and the Xerox Corporation. He also served in the US Army during the Vietnam Era, and was awarded the Joint Services Commendation Medal.

Will has been actively involved with professional, civic and community organizations, having served on numerous boards of directors during his career. He served on the national Board of Directors of the Conference of Minority Transportation Officials (COMTO), and that organization bestowed upon him its Lifetime Achievement Award and the Gerald A. Anderson Sibling Award. Will became an active member of COMTO in the late 1970’s. He is one of the founders of the local Cincinnati chapter of COMTO, as well as one of the founders of the 100 Black Men organization in Cincinnati.

Organizations for which Will has served on boards of directors or committees include: Greater Cincinnati Foundation, United Appeal, Urban League, Leadership Cincinnati, Downtown Council, Private Industry Council, Arts Consortium, 100 Black Men, Greater Cincinnati African American Fund, and Boy Scouts of America. He is also a member of Sigma Pi Phi Fraternity, where he has been involved in mentoring and scholarship activities for young students. He also currently serves on a private-equity board of directors, US Safety and Survivability Corporation.

Devoted to helping others succeed, Will has spent his entire career mentoring emerging persons of color within the public transportation industry. He also works with minority-owned firms on a “pro-bono” basis to assist them in improving their growth and profitability.

Will attained a Master of Business Administration (MBA) degree from the University of Cincinnati and a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from Virginia State University. At the University of Cincinnati, he was awarded a Danforth Fellowship. Will also participating in numerous leadership development programs, including at the Kenan-Flagler Business School, University of North Carolina, and Xavier University.

A native of Virginia, Will currently resides in Cincinnati with his wife, Nedra. They have three adult children and six grandchildren. Will loves to travel and listen to jazz, and both his wife and he spend considerable time doing volunteer work for their church and with various charitable and youth mentoring organizations.