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DENVER — The Regional Transportation District announced five finalists for replacing current general manager and CEO Dave Genova when he retires on Jan. 20.

Genova’s departure comes amid a number of significant challenges facing RTD, including an operator shortage, high fares and lower ridership.

RTD said Thursday that its board of directors narrowed down the finalists from a list of more than 40 applicants.

Three of the finalists are external; two are internal.

The first finalist is Paul Ballard, the former president and CEO of Trinity Metro in Fort Worth, Texas. He also worked at transportation agencies in Tennessee.

“Over more than four-and-a-half decades, Ballard has served as a general manager, CEO or president of public- and private-sector transit systems,” RTD said in a statement.

The second finalist is Amy Ford, the director of the Intelligent Transportation Society of America’s Mobility on Demand Alliance. She previously worked at the Colorado Department of Transportation, where she was the chief of advance mobility, the executive lead for the RoadX program and director of communications.

The third finalist is Michael Ford, the current chief operations officer at RTD.

RTD says Ford has three decades of public and private transit experience, including tenures in metro Detroit, Stockton, California and Portland, Oregon.

The fourth finalist is Mike Meader, the current chief safety and security officer at RTD.

RTD says Meader has more than 30 years of management experience.

“Prior to RTD, his leadership roles included director of transportation solutions for Qognify/NICE and vice president of global accounts and safety programs for CINTAS. Meader served as a pilot and safety officer with the U.S. Air Force,” RTD said.

The fifth finalist is Jackie Millet, the mayor of Lone Tree.

Millet also served as a city council member and mayor pro tem in Lone Tree.

“She is a registered civil engineer as well as chair-elect and a board member of the Denver Regional Council of Governments of which she has been a part for 10 years,” RTD said.

RTD can make an offer to its selected finalist on Jan. 23. Until then, the public can provide comments to the RTD board by contacting individual members or through the RTD Board Office.