Spokane Transit Executive Team
E. Susan Meyer
Chief Executive OfficerContact: SMeyer@spokanetransit.com
The Board of Directors appointed Ms. Meyer Spokane Transit’s Chief Executive Officer in June 2005. Ms. Meyer brings 20 years of business leadership and management experience to the organization. She was previously Vice President of Human Resources and Corporate Relations at Telect, Inc.; Director of Community Relations at Pacific Gas Transmission (now TransCanada); and Executive Director of the non-profit economic development organization Momentum. Ms. Meyer also operated her own firm, Meyer Consulting, providing business planning, human resources and communications consulting services.
A life-long resident of the region, Ms. Meyer earned her Bachelor’s degree and MBA from Eastern Washington University. Many local civic boards have benefited from her service, including the Spokane Regional Chamber of Commerce, Northwest Museum of Arts and Culture, YMCA, Association of Washington Business, Physician Hospital Community Organization and Life Services of Spokane.
Ms. Meyer's top priority is to earn the community’s confidence as a responsive and accountable steward of public resources. Her specific plans focus on increasing Spokane Transit’s ridership, enhancing customers’ ease of access to services, and constraining operating costs.
Jim Plaster
Director of Finance and Administration
Contact: JPlaster@spokanetransit.com
A Spokane Transit fixture, Mr. Plaster has served as the agency’s CFO since its creation in 1981. Prior to his career with Spokane Transit, Mr. Plaster was State Examiner and Assistant Regional Audit Manager for the State of Washington Auditor's Office, bringing precisely the sort of budgetary scrutiny and cautiousness to his post that come from that kind of experience.
Mr. Plaster has lived in Spokane all his life. He earned his Bachelor of Science in Accounting from Brigham Young University. He is a member of the Governmental Finance Officer's Association, a member and past board member of the Spokane Association of Governmental Accountants, as well as a member of the American Public Transit Association National Transit Accounting and Reporting Committee (1985 to present).
Mr. Plaster and his wife, Debby, have two daughters, three sons and six grandchildren.
Steve Blaska
Director of OperationsContact: SBlaska@spokanetransit.com
Mr. Steve Blaska became part of the Spokane Transit executive team in February 2004. He brings 24 years of experience managing transportation, maintenance, logistics, infrastructure, and strategic and budget operations in a variety of organizations within the US Army. Mr. Blaska rose to the rank of Colonel and has earned two Bachelors degrees and two Masters degrees.
Mr. Blaska and his wife, Dianna, are Pacific Northwest natives and considered Spokane to be the perfect place to make a permanent home for them and their four children.