» She struggled mightily as a single mother of five at the age of 24 years old. » She earned her college degree in her 60s after making sure ALL of her children did. » She’s a real unsung and “hidden figure” hero. There’s also an old church janitor from 50 years ago, Brother Frank Evans. » Brother Evans had a 7th grade education and was not learned. » However, in the absence of a male figure in my life, he tried his best to relate to my struggles and advise me. Honorable mention goes to Alexander Hamilton for his incredible work ethic; U.S. Army General George C. Marshall, the architect of the World War II effort and later as U.S. Secretary of State created and developed the “Marshall Plan” to rebuild Europe; and of course U.S. Army General and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Colin Powell who I had the pleasure of serving under when he was U.S. Army V Corps Commander in Heidelberg, Germany. Cole: How do you ensure that others benefit from the life-changing knowledge you gained from your mentors? Washington: I am always focused on creating opportunities for young people just starting their careers. At DEN we just instituted the CEO Visionary Awards program and recognized outstanding efforts by six employees. I try and share my thoughts frequently through speaking engagements, employee town halls and CEO messages to employees.
Photo: McBoat Photography
to interview – even before I left the service. » The RTD CEO was an Army veteran and knew I could apply the lessons I learned in the Army to help him manage the growing operations. » I put in the time and rose to become the eventual CEO of Denver RTD. I quickly learned that transportation is one of the great equalizers in American society. » Transportation agencies are about building communities through infrastructure. I also learned that bad transportation decisions can negatively impact communities for many years and create barriers with regard to access to medical care, education, and healthy food choices.
Cole: What inspired you to pursue a career in the transportation field, and how did you get started?
Washington: I was fortunate to be in the right place at the right time. » As I was retiring from the military, I noticed an opportunity at Denver’s Regional Transportation District (RTD) and I decided
11 The Acumen
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