Three Metro Executives Honored with Top Regional Awards

CINCINNATI -
Cincinnati Metro is proud to announce that three of its executives have been recognized with prestigious awards for their outstanding contributions and leadership in the region.

Darryl Haley, Metro's CEO, was honored with the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People's (NAACP) Game Changer Award during the historic organization's annual Freedom Fund Gala.

This accolade is presented to individuals or organizations who have made significant contributions to the NAACP's overarching goals, including economic sustainability, education, health, public safety and criminal justice reform, and voting rights and political representation. Haley's exceptional leadership and commitment to these areas have made a lasting impact on Metro and the communities it serves, including helping increase citizens access to voting by removing transportation as a barrier.

Metro's Chief Communications and Marketing Officer Brandy Jones and Chief Strategic Planning, Development, and Innovation Officer Khaled Shammout, received top honors in their respective categories at the Cincinnati Business Courier's C-Suite awards, which recognizes top-level executives whose leadership skills and business acumen have driven strong results for organizations across Greater Cincinnati.

Mrs. Jones was recognized for her exceptional marketing expertise and strategic vision, winning the Chief Marketing Officer of the Year recognition. Her outstanding leadership has played a pivotal role in Metro's success, driving the organization's growth and enhancing its reputation as a leading transit service provider. Notably, she provides excellent guidance to Metro's leadership team in crafting strategic messaging about local infrastructure needs, funding needs and emergency response efforts. Her counsel proved particularly valuable during the run-up to the successful 2020 tax levy. Recently, she has been at the forefront of Metro's brand refresh and its successful efforts to grow services and ridership following innovative marketing campaigns, which saw a 32% in the prior year.

Mr. Shammout, was honored as Chief Strategy Officer of the Year. His exceptional strategic planning skills and innovative approach have been instrumental in Metro's transformation. Under his guidance, Metro has implemented new services and features, resulting in improved connectivity, increased ridership, and enhanced access to jobs and essential services. Mr. Shammout has contributed greatly to Metro's growth by coordinating all phases of its five-year Reinventing Metro plan which includes the upcoming Bus Rapid Transit service.

"We are incredibly proud of Darryl, Brandy, and Khaled for their well-deserved recognition," said Blake Ethridge, Metro's Board Chair. "The Cincinnati region truly benefits from these three leaders' dedication, passion, and strategic vision. Their exceptional guidance has been instrumental in Metro's success and has positively impacted the lives of countless individuals in our community."

The recognition of these three Metro executives highlights the organization's commitment to excellence and its dedication to delivering outstanding transit services to the community. Their visionary leadership has positioned Metro as an industry leader, gaining global recognition as it leads the nation in post-pandemic ridership recovery.