By Daniel Larios
Staff Writer

May 30, 2014 – Santa Monica has hired two top transit officials to help run and promote the City’s Big Blue Bus (BBB) as the bayside city prepares for the arrival of the Expo Light Rail line.

Eric Sink will serve as the transit system’s Chief Financial Officer and Aimee Wyatt as its Community Relations Officer, City officials announced Wednesday.

“These professionals will round out our strong leadership team responsible for implementing key projects such as real-time trip information, new fare media and transit service integration with the opening of the Expo Light Rail in early 2016,” said Ed King, director of Transit Services for the Big Blue Bus.

Sink served most recently as Chief Financial Officer for the Los Angeles County Probation Department. 

Wyatt worked at the Regional Transit Authority as Manager of Marketing and Service Planning for San Luis Obispo County.

“Team members experienced in planning and implementing complex initiatives are integral for the Big Blue Bus to continue to exceed our already high level of customer service and financial performance,” King said.

Sink has “outstanding financial management and leadership skills and a wide breadth and depth of public sector experience” after serving in a variety of challenging positions at Los Angeles County and the City of Pasadena, according to officials. 

These positions include associate analyst, auditor, budget and fiscal officer and budget manager.  

Sink has a business management degree from Pepperdine University and an MBA from CSU Los Angeles.   

In addition to five years in public transit, Wyatt has more than 20 years of customer service experience in both the private and public sector.

She served as marketing manager for Hawaiian Airlines, director of online marketing for Pleasant Holidays and vice-president for Air by Pleasant. She also served in the public health arena as research assistant at UCLA’s School of Public Health and in the non-profit sector as research and program evaluation specialist at the Boys and Girls Club of Pasadena.

Wyatt has a bachelor’s in economics from UC San Diego and an MBA from UCLA.

The Big Blue Bus' service area spans more than 51 square miles of greater Los Angeles and serves more than 20 million riders each year. Farebox revenues and a variety of county, state and federal subsidies help pay for the service, which is provided by the City of Santa Monica.

"No monies from the City’s general fund are used by the Big Blue Bus," according to the agency's website.

For more information on the city run transit department, visit www.bigbluebus.com. Follow Big Blue Bus on Facebook www.facebook.com/SMBigBlueBus, Twitter www.twitter.com/SMBigBlueBus and Instagram @BigBlueBus.