Per the MPTA bylaws, the MPTA’s Officers and Directors are elected at the association’s annual meeting, which will take place this year during the Michigan Public Transportation Conference at Crystal Mountain Resort.

Wednesday, August 19 at 8:00am
(beginning with board of directors meeting, followed by membership meeting at approximately 8:30am)

For background, the MPTA’s Board of Directors comprises 16 members:

• Three officers: the President, Vice President, and Secretary/Treasurer
• Eleven at-large directors representing both urban and rural transit systems
• One ex-officio director representing associate members
• The immediate Past-President of the association also automatically holds a seat

All FY2027 board members will serve one-year terms (renewable) concurrent with the MPTA’s membership year beginning October 1st, 2026.

The Nominating Committee – appointed by the current MPTA Board President – reviewed applications and nominated the candidate slate below. Attention was given to achieve an equitable balance of representation among the various sizes and characteristics of the voting transit system members. Those nominated for FY2027 include:
Officers:

• President – Harmony Lloyd - SMART
• Vice President – John Stapleton – Delta/Schoolcraft Transit Authorities
• Secretary/Treasurer – Mallory Avis – Battle Creek Transit
• Immediate Past President (Automatic) – Heidi Wenzel – Ionia Dial-a-Ride

Directors At Large:

• Kelly Bales – Greater Lapeer Transportation Authority
• Ed Benning – Mass Transportation Authority of Flint
• Andrew Brieschke – Capital Area Transportation Authority (CATA)
• Robert Cramer – DDOT / People Mover
• Rick Collins - Isabella County Transportation Commission (I-Ride)
• Sean McBride – Kalamazoo Metro
• Mary Rice – Shiawassee Area Transportation Agency (SATA)
• Steve Schipper – Interurban Transit Partnership (The Rapid)
• Adam Baranski - Livingston Essential Transportation Service (LETS)
• Jeff Pfeifer - Ann Arbor Area Transportation Authority (The Ride)
• Whitney Ehresman – Allegan County Transportation
• Associate Member (non-voting) – Steve Bolin – Hoekstra Transportation

Please note that, per the MPTA bylaws, individual nominations to any of these positions may be made by any voting member from the floor prior to the actual election at the annual meeting. Election to office at the annual meeting may be by viva voce vote or by written ballot.

A majority of the votes cast for each office shall be necessary to win an election. Each transit system is entitled to one vote by a designated representative and may further designate another person or system as a proxy voting representative if unable to attend the meeting.