Phil Washington
{{Short description|American governmental administrator (born 1958)}}
{{Infobox person
| name = Phillip A. Washington
| image = Phil Washington, 2015.jpg
| birth_date = {{birth year and age|1958|}}
| birth_place = Chicago, Illinois, U.S.
| education = Columbia College Chicago (BBA)
Webster University (MM)
| module = {{Infobox officeholder
| embed = yes
| allegiance = {{flag|United States}}
| branch = {{flag|United States Army}}
| serviceyears = 1976–2000
| rank = Command Sergeant Major
| mawards = Defense Superior Service Medal
| office = CEO of Denver International Airport
| term_start = {{startdate|df=yes|2021|07|19}}
| term_end =
| predecessor = Kim Day
| successor =
| office1 = CEO of the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority
| term_start1 = {{startdate|df=yes|2015|05}}
| term_end1 = {{startdate|df=yes|2021|05}}
| predecessor1 = Art Leahy
| successor1 = Stephanie Wiggins
| office2 = CEO of the Regional Transportation District
| term_start2 = {{startdate|df=yes|2009|12}}
| term_end2 = {{startdate|df=yes|2015|05}}
| predecessor2 = Clarence W. Marsella
| successor2 = Dave Genova
}}
}}
Phillip A. Washington (born 1958) is an American governmental administrator working as the CEO of Denver International Airport. He was previously CEO of the Los Angeles Metro, and served as the head of president Joe Biden's transportation transition team. In July 2022 Biden nominated Washington to serve as administrator of the Federal Aviation Administration, but Congress delayed taking action to confirm him over concerns about his lack of expertise in the area{{Cite web |date=2022-06-09 |title=White House set to nominate next FAA administrator, former city transit exec Phil Washington |url=https://www.seattletimes.com/business/boeing-aerospace/white-house-set-to-nominate-next-faa-administrator-army-vet-and-former-city-transit-exec-phil-washington/ |access-date=2022-06-09 |website=The Seattle Times |language=en-US}}{{cite web |last1=Alvarez |first1=Alayna |title=FAA head confirmation hearing delayed as agency leadership remains in flux |url=https://www.axios.com/2022/11/30/faa-head-confirmation-hearing-delayed-as-agency-leadership-remains-in-flux |website=Axios |access-date=17 March 2023 |date=November 30, 2022}} and Washington withdrew from the nomination on March 25, 2023.{{cite web|url=https://www.cnn.com/2023/03/25/politics/faa-nominee-phil-washington-withdrawing/index.html|title=Biden's pick to lead the FAA withdraws from nomination|date=March 25, 2023|author=Liptak, Brian|website=CNN}}
Early life and education
Washington was born in the South Side of Chicago and lived in the Altgeld Gardens Homes. When he was 17 years old, Washington was expelled from high school and decided that the best way to get away from the place was to enlist in the United States Army.{{cite web|url=https://www.routematch.com/pwmp/PhilWashington.pdf|title=PROFILE OF PHIL WASHINGTON, CEO OF LA METRO|author=Huttenbach, Laura Lee|website=Routematch}}
After twenty-four years, he had risen to the rank of Command Sergeant Major, being stationed in Fort Carson, Colorado. During his time in the military, he got a Bachelor of Business Administration degree at Columbia College Chicago and a Master of Management from Webster University. In 2000, he left the army and applied for assistant general manager of administration at the Regional Transportation District (RTD). Cal Marsella, the CEO, gave him the job.{{cite web|url=https://www.coloradopolitics.com/news/phil-washington-the-accidental-transit-manager/article_55236c6a-c0ed-5bc8-af51-ea21cb20fc19.html|title=Phil Washington — The Accidental Transit Manager|author=Hudson, Miller|date=April 13, 2015|website=Colorado Politics}}
Career
= Regional Transportation District =
Washington began his work as assistant general manager in 2000. In June 2009, Washington was named as the interim chief after Marsella stepped down.{{cite web|url=https://www.denverpost.com/2009/06/09/rtds-assistant-gm-named-interim-chief/|title=RTD's assistant GM named interim chief|date=June 9, 2009|author=Leib, Jeffrey|website=The Denver Post}} In December 2009, the RTD announced that Washington would become the next CEO after the board voted in favor of his appointment.{{cite web|url=https://www.progressiverailroading.com/passenger_rail/news/Denver-RTD-selects-Washington-as-next-GMCEO--22199|title=Denver RTD selects Washington as next GM/CEO|date=December 17, 2009|website=Progressive Railroading}}{{cite web|url=https://www.denverpost.com/2009/12/15/rtd-veteran-named-ceo/|title=RTD veteran named CEO|author=Leib, Jeffrey|date=December 15, 2009|website=The Denver Post}}
= Los Angeles Metro =
File:Mayor Garcetti welcomes new Metro CEO Phil Washington (17947875238).jpg Eric Garcetti and Metro board members welcome Washington.]]
In May 2015, Los Angeles mayor Eric Garcetti announced that Washington would become the new CEO of the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority, replacing Art Leahy.{{cite web|url=https://www.paulkrekorian.org/metro_welcomes_new_ceo_phil_washington|website=Paul Krekorian|date=May 8, 2015|title=METRO WELCOMES NEW CEO PHIL WASHINGTON}}{{cite web|url=https://www.lamayor.org/mayor-garcetti-announces-phillip-washington-new-metro-ceo|title=MAYOR GARCETTI ANNOUNCES PHILLIP WASHINGTON AS NEW METRO CEO|date=May 12, 2015}} In 2018, Washington was honored at the Los Angeles Sustainability Coalition Annual Awards Dinner for his role in the Measure M expansion.{{cite web|url=https://lasentinel.net/metro-ceo-phillip-a-washington-honored-at-los-angeles-sustainability-coalition-annual-awards-dinner.html|title=Metro CEO Phillip A. Washington Honored at Los Angeles Sustainability Coalition Annual Awards Dinner|date=December 13, 2018|website=Los Angeles Sentinel}}
In November 2020, Washington was named Team Lead for the Joe Biden presidential transition Agency Review Team for the United States Department of Transportation.{{cite web|url=https://la.streetsblog.org/2020/11/10/metro-ceo-phil-washington-named-to-biden-transition-team/|title=Metro CEO Phil Washington Named To Biden Transition Team|author=Linton, Joe|date=November 10, 2020|website=Streetsblog Los Angeles}}{{cite web|url=https://www.railwayage.com/news/biden-harris-taps-washington-for-transportation-art/|title=Biden-Harris Taps Washington for Transportation ART|author=Luczak, Marybeth|date=November 11, 2020|website=Railway Age}} In February 2021, after informing the Metro Board not to renew or extend his contract, Washington announced he would be retiring from the post that May.{{cite web|url=https://thesource.metro.net/2021/02/03/l-a-metro-ceo-phillip-a-washington-to-step-down-in-may/|title=L.A. Metro CEO Phillip A. Washington to step down in May|date=February 3, 2021|website=The Source (Metro)}}{{cite web|url=https://www.dailynews.com/2021/02/03/la-metro-ceo-phillip-washington-to-step-down-in-may/|title=LA Metro CEO Phillip Washington to step down in May|author=Henry, Jason; Scauzillo, Steve|date=February 3, 2021|website=Los Angeles Daily News}}
= Denver International Airport =
On June 7, 2021, Denver mayor Michael Hancock nominated Washington to become the CEO of Denver International Airport, taking over the position from CEO Kim Day who was retiring after 13 years.{{cite web|url=https://www.denvergov.org/Government/Agencies-Departments-Offices/Agencies-Departments-Offices-Directory/Mayors-Office/News/2021/Mayor-Hancock-Nominates-Phil-Washington-as-CEO-of-Denver-International-Airport|title=Mayor Hancock Nominates Phil Washington as CEO of Denver Airport|date=June 7, 2021|website=Denver}}{{cite web|url=https://denvergazette.com/news/washington-touts-his-experience-as-council-begins-nominee-approval-process/article_b3457f1e-d853-11eb-ac05-cbfcb565d6e2.html|title=Washington touts his experience as Council begins nominee approval process|date=June 28, 2021|author=Huspeni, Dennis|website=The Denver Gazette}} A few days after, the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department had a criminal investigation at LACMTA's offices related to a criminal investigation into Washington, which came after a Metro whistleblower's claims of corruption. The investigation was of Metro's sexual harassment hotline, which was found to cost more than $8,000 per call after "multiple no-bid contracts to run the service were awarded to Peace Over Violence, a charity led by a close friend and campaign donor of L.A. County Supervisor and Metro board member Sheila Kuehl."{{cite web|url=https://www.axios.com/local/denver/2021/06/15/dia-phillip-washington-corruption-allegations|author=Alvarez, Alayna|title=DIA's newly named leader connected to public corruption allegations|date=June 15, 2021|website=Axios}}{{cite web|url=https://www.dailynews.com/2021/02/19/l-a-county-sheriff-searches-offices-of-la-metro-oversight-board-member-in-criminal-probe/|title=L.A. County sheriff searches offices of LA Metro, oversight board member in criminal probe|date=February 19, 2021|author=Henry, Jason|website=Los Angeles Daily News}} Washington maintained that he was innocent and that the complaint was from a disgruntled employee, with Hancock supporting him.{{cite web|url=https://www.thedenverchannel.com/news/investigations/mayors-nominee-for-denvers-airport-ceo-ive-done-nothing-wrong|title=Mayor's nominee for Denver's airport CEO: 'I've done nothing wrong'|author=Kovaleski, Tony|date=June 22, 2021|website=KMGH-TV}} The topic of the investigation was not discussed when the Denver City Council unanimously voted to approve Washington as the new CEO.{{cite web|url=https://www.denverpost.com/2021/07/12/denver-airport-phil-washington-ceo-city-council/|title=Denver City Council approves Phil Washington as next Denver airport CEO|author=Swanson, Conrad|date=July 12, 2021|website=The Denver Post}}{{cite web|url=https://denvergazette.com/news/business/phil-washington-confirmed-as-new-ceo-of-denver-international-airport/article_4b4a403c-e377-11eb-9d5d-e3b97837a701.html|title=Phil Washington confirmed as new CEO of Denver International Airport|author=Metzger, Hannah|date=July 12, 2021|website=The Denver Gazette}}
= Federal Aviation Administration nomination =
On July 6, 2022, President Joe Biden announced that he had nominated Washington to lead the Federal Aviation Administration.{{cite web|url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/biden-picks-denver-airport-chief-to-lead-federal-aviation-administration-11657129346|title=Biden Picks Denver Airport Chief to Lead Federal Aviation Administration|author=Maidenberg, Micah|date=July 6, 2022|website=Wall Street Journal}} His nomination stalled in the United States Senate, with some criticizing Biden's choice of Washington, who had been mentioned in a criminal probe in Los Angeles.{{cite web|url=https://www.politico.com/news/2022/09/16/l-a-probe-vacancy-faa-00057289|title=LA probe brings worries of prolonged vacancy atop FAA|date=September 9, 2022|author=Pawlyk. Oriana|website=Politico}}{{cite web|url=https://www.axios.com/2022/11/30/faa-head-confirmation-hearing-delayed-as-agency-leadership-remains-in-flux|title=FAA head confirmation hearing delayed as agency leadership remains in flux|author=Alvarez, Alayna|date=November 30, 2022|website=Axios}} On March 1, 2023, Washington faced the United States Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, where he was criticized by Senator Ted Cruz, saying that he was not qualified and did "not have any experience in aviation safety."{{cite web|url=https://coloradosun.com/2023/03/01/colorado-phil-washington-faa-hearing/|title=DIA boss Phil Washington, Biden's pick to lead FAA, faces turbulent confirmation hearing|date=March 1, 2023|website=The Colorado Sun}} He also faced a challenge due to his military status, as the statute does not allow for any retired military member to be eligible for leadership.{{cite web|url=https://rollcall.com/2023/03/02/bidens-faa-nominee-faces-military-waiver-challenge/|title=Biden's FAA nominee faces military waiver challenge|author=Yurk, Valerie|date=March 2, 2023|website=Roll Call}} It was announced that a Senate vote on his confirmation would take place on March 22, 2023, before the vote was delayed by Senator Kyrsten Sinema after she raised some questions about him.{{cite web|url=https://www.axios.com/2023/03/22/kyrsten-sinema-faa-phil-washington|title=Scoop: Sinema delays vote on FAA nominee Phil Washington|date=March 22, 2023|author=Nichols, Hans|website=Axios}} On March 25, 2023, he withdrew from the nomination.{{cite web|url=https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/politics-news/bidens-pick-lead-faa-withdraws-shaky-senate-support-rcna76696|title=Biden's pick to lead FAA withdraws amid shaky Senate support|date=March 25, 2023|website=NBC News}}