The quest for a new chief at the helm of the Memphis Area Transit Authority (MATA) has reached an abrupt halt, with the agency confirming the suspension of its CEO search "until further notice." This development, as confirmed to Action News 5, comes amid a period of heightened scrutiny over the public transit system's financial management.
Controversy shrouded MATA's operations earlier this year when it was revealed, according to a report by FOX13, that the agency was grappling with a $60 million deficit, a significant financial mishap under the interim leadership of Deputy CEO Bacarra Mauldin. Mauldin was subsequently terminated following revelations of her involvement in mismanaging nearly $150,000 of funds through executive credit card expenditures. Following her dismissal, John Lewis of TransPro, the consulting firm overseeing MATA's restructuring, took up the mantle as the acting MATA CEO.
As MATA paused its search for a permanent leader, an audit unearthed further troubling financial practices within the agency. A staggering $2.5 million had been charged to American Express accounts between 2018 and 2024, with a lack of detailed receipts for almost half of those expenses, as reported by FOX13. The audit also exposed a sixfold increase in annual credit card payments over a span of five years and extravagant expenditures, including over $293,000 for a suite at FedExForum, replete with access to all Grizzlies and Tigers home games and concerts.
Amidst the fiscal turmoil, MATA had been on the cusp of selecting a new CEO, with interviews of the finalists scheduled for this week before being indefinitely postponed. MATA has expressed an interest in community involvement in the selection process, and despite the deferment, it encourages public queries to be directed to their Facebook page, as mentioned in a WREG report. We appreciate your understanding and will share updates, as soon as a new date is confirmed, MATA relayed in a social media post, which equally welcomes continued question submissions to be forthwith reviewed by their Board of Commissioners and prospective CEO candidates.
The scope of MATA's financial disarray was brought to light by WREG's investigations over the past year, revealing a $60 million shortfall in the agency's budget and the questionable spending practices on executive credit cards.
