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Arrivals & departures

Two positions filled, one to be vacated by retirement

ITD filled two important positions – including selection of a new Administrator of the Division of Public Transportation—in the past week and learned that a longtime Aeronautics employee is making retirement plans.

Randy Kyrias, the deputy director for Valley Regional Transit, will succeed Larry Falkner as administrator of Public Transportation, effective Oct. 8. Kyrias, 44, joined the VRT staff as administration director in April 2003. He moved to Idaho from the Irvine (Calif.) area where he was vice president of a medical transport company.

Valley Regional Transit, based in Meridian, provides transit services for Ada and Canyon counties and operates the Valley Ride bus system.

ITD Director Pam Lowe announced the selection Monday (Sept. 24).

Bill Smith, who has spent most of his 37-year career in the Right-of-Way Section, was chosen to manage the section, effective Sept. 23. He replaces Leonard Hill who retired as manager in June.

Loren Thomas, assistant chief of Development, announced Smith’s appointment Sept. 21.

As ITD celebrates those appointments, it also laments the pending retirement of Ray Glidden, chief pilot of the Division of Aeronautics. Glidden has worked in the division for more than 20 years and routinely flies department leaders, the governor and his staff, and other state employees to Idaho destinations on the state airplane.

The division not only loses an experienced pilot, it also loses a wealth of knowledge accumulated over the past two decades and a valuable resource for information.

Glidden’s retirement is effective Friday (Oct. 5).

Details about the appointments and Glidden’s departure will be included in a future Transporter.