SANDAG taps new CEO
The transportation and housing agency agrees to a three-year contract with Mario Orso of Caltrans to lead SANDAG
COUNTY — A monthslong search culminated on Friday as the San Diego Association of Governments Board of Directors hired a new chief executive officer.
Mario Orso, the current Caltrans District 11 chief deputy director, was tapped to take over SANDAG after former CEO Hasan Ikhrata resigned at the end of December. Ikhrata announced his resignation in fall 2023. Orso starts on June 17.
Longtime SANDAG executive Coleen Clementson was appointed the interim CEO by the board in January.
According to a press release from SANDAG, Orso has spent 32 years at Caltrans starting as a junior civil engineer and was also appointed the acting Caltrans District 12 director in Orange County. Orso will have a three-year contract with an annual salary of $385,000 with a management benefit of 2.5% of his annual salary, $12,500 in 457 deferred compensation and medical benefits covered by SANDAG.
“As a resident of this region, I am honored to have the opportunity to lead SANDAG,” Orso said in a statement. “In partnership with the board, we will be laser-focused on our core mission and commitments to the people of the San Diego region. With more than 200 projects underway, our partnerships are going to be more important than ever to make the most of our investments to improve mobility, equity, safety, and our economy.”
As CEO, Orso is responsible for leading more than 400 employees, oversees a $1.2 billion annual budget, and will reports directly to the board, which is made up of elected mayors, councilmembers, and county supervisors who are appointed from each of the region’s 19 local governments.
The agency has come under fire over the past several years for several scandals such as hundreds of thousands of misspent dollars with company credit cards (known as P-cards), an audit report questioning millions of dollars in questionable increases for contracts, and the failure of the State Route 125 toll road system, which two contractors were fired as 55,000 customer accounts were incorrectly charged.
The agency also faces two lawsuits as a result of the SR 125 issues.
Additionally, the board has battled with Ikhrata’s controversial 5 Big Moves, the $172 billion regional transportation plan. The initial plan moved away from road and highway improvements to focus on increase transit upgrades including the trolley, Coaster, Sprinter and bus systems.
Still, the agency has finished many large-scale projects including HOV lanes on Interstate 5, breaking ground on the Otay Mesa East Port of Entry on the Mexican border and several upgrades with bikes lanes, bridge replacements and the San Elijo Activity Hub Park and Ride in Encinitas under the Build NCC program.
“Our board made a commitment to select a proven leader with decades of experience to prioritize our community's needs, and today, I am proud to announce that we have fulfilled that commitment,” said SANDAG Chairwoman Nora Vargas. “Mr. Orso is dedicated to the people of this region and has demonstrated his commitment by successfully building teams, delivering major infrastructure projects, and bringing hundreds of millions of dollars to the San Diego region. He embodies the qualities we were searching for in a leader and I am confident we have found a CEO who will be forward-thinking, collaborative, and fiscally responsible.”
Orso earned his bachelor’s degree in civil engineering from San Diego State University. He holds a Professional Engineers Registration and has completed the Project Management Certificate Program that Caltrans and Sacramento State University offer.
Orso previously served as Corridor Project Director for the South County and Trade Corridors, the district's first Native American Liaison, and Intergovernmental Review Branch Chief and Project Manager.