Crawford to step down next May - E-ZPass IAG seeking new chief exec, office move to Wilmington DE

Jim Crawford, the blunt spoken executive-director of the E-ZPass Inter Agency Group (IAG) will step down from his position at the country's leading electronic toll collection cooperative when his employment contract expires in late May 2010. The search has begun for his successor.

Crawford, 63, formally told the executive management committee of IAG of his decision to leave during their regular bimonthly conference yesterday. He had said informally he wasn't going to stay beyond his present contract period earlier.

Crawford told us: "I wanted them to have time to do a thorough search and have an orderly succession."

He said he's leaving mostly for personal reasons. He has a comfortable retirement income and wants to be able to spend more time on the west coast where he has children and grandchildren.

He said he hasn't decided whether he'll continue to have a role in the toll industry. He's not going to think about that seriously until close to his departure from the IAG, but he added: "My guess is I'll probably be around in some capacity or another to needle people" in the toll business.

He also said that after five years it is "healthy to find some new blood" for the IAG.

We asked him what he thought had been achieved in his five years.

He rattled off:

- a substantial expansion of E-ZPass

- the addition of the first private operators

- the move from regular toll collection into parking, especially at airports

- making major steps toward procurement of new technology

He said the IAG cannot often claim be on the leading edge of new technology but that it has developed such a large body of interoperable toll agencies that it's stance on issues is of huge importance in the industry.

The executive management committee formally agreed to advertise the position.

NOTICE

The text of the search notice follows:

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
E-ZPASS INTERAGENCY GROUP
Wilmington DE / Philadelphia PA area

The E-ZPass Interagency Group (IAG) is a unique organization consisting of 25
independent toll agencies from 14 states in the Eastern and Midwest portions of the
U.S. that are working together to improve and expand the E-ZPass electronic toll
collection program that has revolutionized travel throughout those regions for more
than ten million E-ZPass customers. IAG agencies collect more than 70% of all U.S.
toll revenue. The IAG is presently seeking a new Executive Director.

This is a one-of-a-kind opportunity for a candidate with strong leadership and
team-building skills with the demonstrated ability to work effectively with and
achieve consensus among senior executives from constituencies with varying needs
in a demanding technological, political and geographical environment. The
successful candidate will lead the IAG through a period of continuing expansion of
E-ZPass use as well as the potential addition of business opportunities for E-ZPass
in non-toll areas, such as retail and goods and services.

A Bachelor’s degree is required and a Master’s degree is preferred. A minimum of
12 years of progressively responsible management positions in a governmental,
business or technical environment dealing with applications of emerging technology,
preferably in transportation is being sought. Experience in electronic toll collection
(ETC), intelligent transportation systems (ITS), complex vendor contract
negotiations and/or expanding new business opportunities is an asset, as is
experience with customer service centers and financial clearinghouse systems.
Ability to travel flexibly is required. The salary is competitive and commensurate
with the successful candidate’s experience.

Please send a resume, with salary requirements and salary history, by December 18,
2009 to:

PJ WILKINS
Chair, Executive Search Committee
C/O Delaware Turnpike Administration
1200 Whittaker Rd
Newark DE. 19702 END NOTICE

New offices to be in Wilmington DE

The committee in a long conference call also decided to move IAG offices to Wilmington Delaware. The IAG has a possible longterm lease of space in a Delaware state office building.

"We need a home, somewhere that our own, where we can invest in good video conference equipment and stuff, and get established," IAG chairman P J Wilkins told us today.

The IAG is presently officed in an SJTA building in Atlantic City, New Jersey. (CORRECTED)

Wilkins said they have been considering a move for some time and considered four or five different locations in the mid-Atlantic area.

Wilmington seemed the best location because of its centrality and transport connections, being right on I-95 and on the Amtrak line between Washington DC and Boston, while also being close to a major airport.

Philadelphia International Airport is 22km (14 miles) or a quarter hour's drive from the proposed Wilmington offices.

Access to a major city airport was important, and reasonable rents, Wilkins said.  They hope to negotiate a lease in the next few months.

BACKGROUND: The E-ZPass Interagency Group (IAG) was formed in 1990 with three states (New York, New Jersey & Pennsylvania) and seven agencies (Pennsylvania Turnpike, Port Authority of New York & New Jersey, New Jersey Turnpike, Garden State Parkway, MTA Bridges & Tunnel, New York State Thruway, and Atlantic City Expressway).

The first deployment of E-ZPass was on the New York State Thruway at the Spring Valley barrier toll plaza August 3 1993.

The IAG currently has over 10 million account holders who utilize more than 18 million transponders operating electronic toll collection for 25 agencies in 14 states. (see map below)

25 member agencies operate E-ZPass or E-ZPass IAG affiliated and interoperable brands (such as I-PASS or FAST LANE)  on 48 roads, bridges and tunnels in the Northeast and Midwest.

IAG was first administered by Rena Barta with the title program director. Other executive directors have been Alex McCavenny (spelling?) and John Platt. Platt was the former executive director of the New York State Thruway Authority and ran the IAG out of offices on the northern fringe of the Albany area.

Jim Crawford, now 63, was executive director of the South Jersey Transportation Authority that runs the Atlantic City Expressway and the Atlantic City Airport 1993 to 2004, before taking on the IAG job. Before SJTA he had 16 years at NJ DOT where he rose to assistant commissioner.

Crawford effectively took the IAG to his home turf by the south Jersey shore. IAG currently has a fulltime staff of five.

IAG website: http://www.e-zpassiag.com/

TOLLROADSnews 2009-11-25