People News: Sound Transit, Caterpillar

John Henry (left), Sound Transit; Lou Balmer-Millar, Caterpillar Inc.

John Henry is joining Seattle’s Sound Transit as Chief Financial Officer (CFO). Also, at Caterpillar Inc., Lou Balmer-Millar is assuming the Chief Sustainability Officer position in addition to her current role as Senior Vice President of the Large Power Systems Division within the Energy and Transportation segment.

In late February, John Henry will take on the CFO role at Sound Transit, which provides Link light rail; Sounder commuter rail; ST Express Bus; Tacoma Link light rail; and soon Bus Rapid Transit service throughout the areas of Pierce, King and Snohomish counties in Washington. He has more than 20 years of experience in finance, accounting and treasury services. Currently, Henry is CFO of the American Public Transportation Association (APTA), where he is responsible for the organization’s strategic direction, financial management and information technology functions.

Previously, Henry served as CFO for the Jefferson County Commission in Birmingham, Ala. He also spent time in the banking industry, as Vice President at JP Morgan Chase & Company and Director at MW Logistics Incorporated. A veteran of the U.S. Army, Henry graduated from its Airborne and Ranger schools and received an honorable discharge as a captain.

“As we enter a period of rapid expansion, John will bring deep experience in finance and strategy and a highly collaborative and innovative approach to managing large and complex operating and capital budgets,” said Julie Timm, who became Sound Transit CEO in September. “Sound Transit serves a region with more than 50 cities and nearly half the state’s population, and we rely on strong partnerships with the state and federal governments. John’s proven creativity in helping organizations and jurisdictions collaborate across borders and boundaries will support our work to build a truly regional system. I look forward to his contributions.”

In related developments, Sound Transit on Dec. 21 announced that it has secured more than $583 million as part of the Fiscal Year 2023 Omnibus Appropriations Bill, which funds government programs through Sept. 30, 2023, according to a Yahoo! Report.

At Caterpillar Inc., Lou Balmer-Millar will assume the Chief Sustainability Officer role on Feb. 1, 2023, upon the retirement of Julie Lagacy, who was the company’s first Chief Sustainability and Strategy officer. Balmer-Millar is retaining her current position as Senior Vice President of the Large Power Systems Division within the Energy and Transportation segment. Cat® is the flagship brand of products and services at Caterpillar; Progress Rail, Solar Turbines, Perkins and SEM are among the company’s 20 other brands.

Balmer-Millar has held several technical and business leadership positions of increased scope and responsibility over her 20-year career at Caterpillar. Prior to joining the company, she led materials and chemical engineering research efforts at the Environmental Molecular Science Laboratory of the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory. Balmer-Millar has a Ph.D. in Materials Science from the University of California, Santa Barbara and a Bachelor of Science in engineering from The Pennsylvania State University.  

“Sustainability is an important focus area of our long-term strategy for profitable growth,” Caterpillar Chairman and CEO Jim Umpleby said. “Building on her role in Caterpillar’s Energy and Transportation segment, this move further enhances the advancement of product solutions to support our customers during the energy transition and help them achieve their climate-related objectives by geography, by application and by specific customer need.”