The Story and State of American Infrastructure

Phillip A. Washington, recently retired from the Denver International Airport, was initially nominated by Denver Mayor Michael B. Hancock in July 2021 and by current Mayor Mike Johnston in July 2023.  In 2024, DEN ranked as the third-busiest airport in the U.S. and the sixth-busiest airport in the world. DEN is Colorado’s largest economic engine with an annual economic impact of $47.2 billion. 

Prior to Washington’s arrival at DEN, he was the CEO of the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (Metro) from 2015 to 2021. At Metro, Washington managed a balanced budget of $8.5 billion and provided oversight of an agency with 11,000 employees that transported 1.2 million boarding passengers daily on a fleet of 2,200 clean-air buses and six rail lines.  Washington led the 2016 successful effort to pass Measure M, a new half- cent sales tax in Los Angeles County (the most populous county in the United States), which garnered 71.15% voter approval. Measure M is allowing Metro to build 40 major highway and transit projects over the next 40 years, create 778,000 jobs and provide $133.3 billion in economic impact for the region. LA County residents are currently benefiting from the Measure with recent rail, highway, and bus facility openings.

Washington also served as the CEO of Denver Regional Transportation District (RTD) between 2009 and 2015 and worked as the assistant general manager of RTD for nearly 10 years before being named CEO. In Denver, he led and implemented the FasTracks (another successful sales tax initiative) program, one of the largest voter-approved transportation expansion programs in the country.

Originally from the South Side of Chicago, Washington is a 24-year veteran of the U.S. Army, where he ultimately held the rank of Command Sergeant Major, the highest non-commissioned officer rank an enlisted soldier can achieve. He retired from active duty, is a disabled veteran and was awarded the prestigious Defense Superior Service Medal for exceptional service to his country. He holds a B.A. in Business from Columbia College and an M.A. in Management from Webster University.