Ventura County Transportation Commission names new top exec
The Ventura County Transportation Commission announced Jan. 4 that it has selected Martin Erickson as the new executive director to lead the regional transportation planning agency.
Erickson has served as VCTC’s public transit director since 2016, and he has more than 25 years of public agency management experience, including manager of government affairs at the Santa Barbara Metropolitan Transit District and deputy city manager for the city of Oxnard.
Erickson was selected for the executive director role following a four-month recruitment process that drew more than 30 applicants, VCTC said in a news release.
“I’m excited to work with and lead such a dedicated team of professionals that comprise the VCTC staff,” Erickson said in VCTC’s statement.
The VCTC board will consider approval of a formal employment agreement between Erickson and the agency during its regular monthly meeting scheduled on Jan. 7. It calls for Erickson to receive an annual salary of $215,000, plus benefits that include $10,000 per year in contributions to his retirement account and a $6,000 per year vehicle allowance.
If the board approves the contract, Erickson will begin as executive director on Jan. 16.
He succeeds Darren Kettle, who left VCTC last year when he was named CEO of the Southern California Regional Rail Authority, or Metrolink.
Mark Watkins, a former Ventura city manager, has served as VCTC’s interim executive director since September.
Before joining VCTC about six years ago, Erickson was deputy chief executive officer for Santa Barbara County. He started his career as director of government affairs at the Santa Barbara Region Chamber of Commerce.
