Russ Frank serves as Associate Vice President for the Metropolitan Transit Authority (Houston METRO), where he provides leadership and coordination for agency-wide special management projects.
He joined METRO in February 2000 to represent the agency to local, state, and federal elected and appointed officials. He held several positions in the government affairs and community outreach divisions, concluding with being the director of government affairs, until he was promoted to his current position in October 2007.
Prior to joining METRO, he was in the private sector representing the civil construction industry for the Houston Contractors Association (HCA). He began his career working in city government as a council aide to long-time At-Large Houston City Council Member Eleanor Tinsley. In this position, he worked on local issues, such as a bicycle helmet ordinance, sign control ordinances, smoking regulations, and other quality of life issues.
Russ is a sixth generation Houstonian and a graduate of the Houston Independent School District. He received a Bachelor of Arts degree from Baylor University and a Master of Arts degree in Public Administration from the University of Houston. Russ is a member of St. Paul’s UnitedMethodistChurch, Leadership Houston, and the Texas Lyceum Association.
He is a graduate of the American Public Transportation Association’s Leadership APTA class of 2008-2009 and has been elected to serve on the Leadership APTA Committee. In the September/October 2009 issue of Mass Transit magazine, he was recognized as one of the Top 40 Under 40 transit professionals.