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.”
