VIA Metropolitan Transit has named one of its own to its No. 2 leadership position, selecting Tremell Brown, a 33-year veteran of the agency, to serve as Deputy CEO.
Brown began his career at VIA in 1990 as a part-time bus operator. He advanced through the Operations Division, having held several leadership positions, including Vice President of Transportation, VP of Safety, Training and System Security and Chief Safety Officer.
VIA Deputy CEO Tremell (center) was introduced at the May 23 Board Meeting, and welcomed by Trustees Javier Paredes (from left) and Louis Cooper, Board Secretary Athalie Malone, VIA President and CEO Jeff Arndt, Trustees Bob Comeaux and Ayda Gonzalez, Board Vice Chair Laura Cabanilla, and Trustee Kevin Wolff.
As Deputy CEO, Brown will assist VIA’s President/CEO in oversight of all staff functions and agency operations. He will also directly manage key operating divisions, including Transportation, Maintenance/Fleet and Facilities, Fiscal Management, Human Resources, Technology and Innovation, Safety, Training and System Security (STSS), and Procurement.
“During his tenure at VIA, Tremell has served with distinction and accumulated invaluable experience across the agency,” President/CEO Jeffrey C. Arndt said. “Just as importantly, he’s built meaningful relationships with people across every department. I’m confident that with his service-minded approach, he’ll continue to lean in and push VIA to do great things for our community.”
Brown will continue to serve as Chief Safety Officer and lead VIA’s STSS division, where he helped develop, implement, and oversee law enforcement, safety, and training development, and was installed as the agency’s Incident Commander for Emergency Management.
Born in Sacramento, California, Brown was raised in a military family and moved to San Antonio when his father was stationed at Lackland Air Force Base. He attended schools in the Northside Independent School District and joined VIA at age 21. He has dedicated his life and career to supporting the agency’s mission to connect our community.
“An advantage I see in this role as Deputy CEO is actually that I get a chance to do more of something I enjoy, and that’s just managing relationships, closing the gaps, addressing the issues,” Brown said. “I’ll get to work across the organization to fix issues and challenges. I’m always interested in developing better understanding and I get a chance now to get out there and connect more with the people who are closer to the solutions.”
Brown is an active community volunteer and advocate for causes that support diversity, equity, and inclusion. He is a Rutgers University National Transit Institute Fellow, an FBI Citizen Academy Alumnus, a Leadership American Public Transportation Association (APTA) Class of 2016 graduate and a 2012 NAACP Entrepreneurship Honoree in San Antonio. He studied Organizational Development at University of The Incarnate Word and is NIMS/ICS certified in Emergency Management/ Response and has served in various leadership capacities over Operations, Law Enforcement, Safety, Training, and others. Brown also is a current proud member of Leadership San Antonio Class 47.
In 2023, VIA celebrates 45 years of service in San Antonio and Bexar County. The agency entered one of its most transformative periods in nearly half a century with a successful election to secure funding for transit improvements, including its Keep SA Moving plan that will deliver the region’s first Advanced Rapid Transit system.