{{Infobox officeholder | name = Dorothy W. Dugger | office1 = General Manager of the [[Bay Area Rapid Transit]] system | term_start1 = August 23, 2007 | term_end1 = April 22, 2011 | predecessor1 = [[Thomas Margro]] (1996 – 2007) | successor1 = [[Grace Crunican]] (2011 – 2019) }} '''Dorothy W. Dugger'''<ref name=bart-dugger-becomes-gm>{{cite web|url = http://www.bart.gov/news/articles/2007/newsx20070823|title = BART Board makes history, picks first female to lead agency. Board promotes Dorothy Dugger to General Manager|date = August 23, 2007|accessdate = August 20, 2017|publisher = [[Bay Area Rapid Transit]]}}</ref> is a mass transportation specialist who worked for the San Francisco [[Bay Area Rapid Transit]] (BART) district from 1992 to 2011, spending the last four years as BART's first female general manager.<ref name=bart-dugger-becomes-gm/><ref name=sfgate-dugger-becomes-gm/><ref name=bart-dugger-resigns/>
== Early life and education == Dugger was born and raised in [[Alabama]]<ref name=ebt-cool-dugger>{{cite news|url = http://www.eastbaytimes.com/2009/10/10/bart-leader-stays-cool-under-pressure/|title = BART leader stays cool under pressure|date = October 10, 2009|newspaper = East Bay Times|accessdate = August 20, 2017|last = Mara|first = Janis}}</ref> on a chicken farm.<ref name=sfgate-dugger-becomes-gm>{{cite news|url = http://www.sfgate.com/bayarea/article/Dorothy-Dugger-named-new-head-of-BART-vote-2508338.php|title = Dorothy Dugger named new head of BART - vote challenged as tainted|date = August 23, 2007|accessdate = August 20, 2017|newspaper = [[San Francisco Chronicle]]}}</ref><ref name=mercurynews-dugger-becomes-gm>{{cite news|url = http://www.mercurynews.com/2007/08/23/bart-appoints-first-female-general-manager/|title = Bart appoints first female general manager|newspaper = [[The Mercury News]]|date = August 23, 2007|accessdate = July 27, 2017}}</ref>
Dugger earned a bachelor's degree from [[Rutgers University]] in [[New Jersey]]<ref name=sfgate-dugger-becomes-gm/> in 1973.<ref name=bizjournals-dugger-becomes-gm>{{cite news|url = https://www.bizjournals.com/sanjose/stories/2007/08/20/daily65.html|title = BART makes interim GM permanent|date = August 23, 2007|accessdate = July 27, 2017|newspaper = Silicon Valley Business Journal}}</ref> She also attended a program for senior executives in State and Local Government at [[Harvard University]]'s [[John F. Kennedy School of Government]].<ref name=sfgate-dugger-becomes-gm/>
== Career == === Before BART (1970s to 1992) === Dugger served as a legislative director for the [[American Civil Liberties Union]].<ref name=bart-dugger-becomes-gm/><ref name=sfgate-dugger-becomes-gm/><ref name=ebt-cool-dugger/>
From 1982 to 1992, Dugger worked at the [[Port Authority of New York and New Jersey]] in a variety of roles. Her role just before leaving for BART was Director of Government and Community Affairs.<ref name=sfgate-dugger-becomes-gm/><ref name=ebt-cool-dugger/><ref name=dugger-convo>{{cite web|url = http://www.bizjournals.com/eastbay/stories/2008/01/28/newscolumn1.html|title = A conversation with BART General Manager Dorothy Dugger|publisher = East Bay Business Times|date = January 27, 2008|accessdate = August 20, 2017|last = Consol|first = Mike}}</ref> In an interview in 2008, Dugger credited Sig Frigand for mentoring her during her ten years at the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey.<ref name=dugger-convo/>
=== BART (1992 – 2011) === Dugger joined BART in September 1992 as executive manager of external affairs.<ref name=bart-dugger-becomes-gm/><ref name=mercurynews-dugger-becomes-gm/> On April 6, 1994,<ref name=mercurynews-dugger-becomes-gm/> she was promoted to Deputy General Manager, in recognition of her skills and expertise.<ref name=bart-dugger-becomes-gm/><ref name=sfgate-dugger-becomes-gm/> She initially served under general manager [[Richard A. White]] from 1994 to 1996, and then under general manager [[Thomas Margro]] from 1996 to 2007.<ref name=bart-dugger-becomes-gm/>
Effective June 29, 2007, Thomas Margro retired from the position of general manager,<ref name=apta-margro-retires>{{cite web|url = http://www.apta.com/passengertransport/Documents/archive_3857.htm|title = Margro to Retire as BART General Manager|date = April 16, 2007|accessdate = August 20, 2017|publisher = American Public Transportation Association}}</ref> and Dugger became the interim general manager while the board deliberated on who Margro's successor should be.<ref name=sfgate-dugger-becomes-gm/>
The two candidates considered by the board for the general manager position were Dugger and Beverly Scott, a black female who was running the [[Sacramento Regional Transit District]] at the time. The board voted on Thursday, August 23, 2007, and Dugger won the vote 6-3, with Directors Gail Murray, Joel Keller, Bob Franklin, Zoyd Luce, Thomas Blalock and James Fang voting for her, and Directors Lynette Sweet, [[Carole Ward Allen]], and Tom Radulovich voting against her. The selection of Dugger was attributed to a preference for a candidate with deep inside knowledge of and experience with BART and Bay Area politics.<ref name=sfgate-dugger-becomes-gm/><ref name=mercurynews-dugger-becomes-gm/> Dugger was also the preferred choice of Sue Angeli, who heads a union representing BART's professional employees.<ref name=mercurynews-dugger-becomes-gm/> Dugger transitioned from interim general manager to general manager on August 23.<ref name=bart-dugger-becomes-gm/><ref name=sfgate-dugger-becomes-gm/><ref name=mercurynews-dugger-becomes-gm/>
While General Manager, Dugger managed to make BART turn a surplus through a combination of labor concessions, salary freezes, and fare increases.<ref name=sfexaminer-dugger-surplus>{{cite news|url = http://www.sfexaminer.com/bart-board-plans-to-oust-general-manager-dorothy-dugger-despite-surplus/|title = BART board plans to oust General Manager Dorothy Dugger despite surplus|last = Reisman|first = Will|date = March 8, 2011|accessdate = August 20, 2017|newspaper = San Francisco Examiner}}</ref><ref name=sfgate-board-firing-meeting/> However, her tenure as general manager also included the [[shooting of Oscar Grant]],<ref name=ebt-cool-dugger/> and her handling of the situation would be the subject of criticism.<ref name=sfexaminer-dugger-surplus/><ref name=sfgate-board-firing-meeting/> Dugger also lost $70 million in federal funds for the [[Oakland Airport Connector]].<ref name=sfexaminer-dugger-surplus/><ref name=sfgate-board-firing-meeting/>
=== Departure from BART and subsequent controversy === On Thursday, February 10, 2011, the BART Board of Directors held a vote at a board meeting where they voted 5-4 to fire Dugger, and then asked her to resign. The ''[[San Francisco Chronicle]]'' reported unattributed sources as saying that President Bob Franklin and directors Tom Radulovich, James Fang, John McPartland, and Robert Raburn voted to terminate Dugger, whereas Joel Keller, Lynette Sweet, Thomas Blalock, and Gail Murray opposed the termination.<ref name=sfgate-board-firing-meeting>{{cite news|url = http://www.sfgate.com/bayarea/article/BART-board-may-fire-Dorothy-Dugger-2475687.php|title = BART board may fire Dorothy Dugger|last = Cabanatuan|first = Michael|date = February 12, 2011|accessdate = July 23, 2017|newspaper = San Francisco Chronicle}}</ref> However, discussion of Dugger's resignation was not included in the board meeting agenda, which violated the [[Brown Act]]. Board member Joel Keller, who opposed forcing Dugger to resign, brought in district counsel Matthew Burrows to examine the legality of the vote, and Burrows agreed that the vote was illegal.<ref name=sfgate-board-firing-meeting/> The Board later admitted to the illegality of the vote.<ref>{{cite news|url = http://www.sfgate.com/bayarea/article/BART-board-owns-up-to-illegal-vote-to-fire-boss-2474481.php|title = BART board owns up to illegal vote to fire boss|last = Cabanatuan|first = Michael|date = February 25, 2011|accessdate = July 23, 2017|newspaper = San Francisco Chronicle}}</ref>
The main reasons cited by board members who wanted to get rid of Dugger were her poor communication skills, bad interactions with the board, poor handling of the [[shooting of Oscar Grant]], and loss of federal funding for the [[Oakland Airport Connector]].<ref name=sfexaminer-dugger-surplus/><ref name=sfgate-board-firing-meeting/> However, Lynette Sweet, a board member who had voted against Dugger when selecting the general manager in 2007, said that the board decision was puzzling considering Dugger's achievement of making BART achieve a surplus.<ref name=sfexaminer-dugger-surplus/><ref name=sfgate-board-firing-meeting/>
On April 13, 2011, BART announced that Dugger was quitting as general manager, with extra compensation of $958,000 (severance of $600,000 and extra compensation of $350,000 for a smooth transition), and BART was beginning the search for a replacement. Dugger's last day at work would be April 22, 2011.<ref name=bart-dugger-resigns>{{cite web|url = http://www.bart.gov/news/articles/2011/news20110413|title = BART general manager resigns; search for new GM begins Thursday|date = April 13, 2011|accessdate = July 22, 2017|publisher = Bay Area Rapid Transit}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url = https://ww2.kqed.org/news/2011/04/13/bart-general-manager-dorothy-dugger-resigns-severance-is-958000/|title = BART General Manager Dorothy Dugger Resigns; Severance is $958,000|last = Brooks|first = Jon|date = April 13, 2011|accessdate = July 22, 2017|publisher = [[KQED Inc.|KQED]]}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url = http://www.sfgate.com/news/article/BART-s-Dugger-quits-with-1-million-severance-2375176.php|title = BART's Dugger quits with $1 million severance|last = Cabanatuan|first = Michael|date = April 13, 2011|accessdate = July 22, 2017|newspaper = [[San Francisco Chronicle]]}}</ref> On August 31, 2011, [[Grace Crunican]], who had previously headed the [[Seattle Department of Transportation]], became the next general manager of BART.<ref name=examiner-crunican-becomes-gm>{{cite web|url = http://www.sfexaminer.com/grace-crunican-officially-named-new-bart-general-manager/|title = Grace Crunican officially named new BART general manager|date = August 31, 2011|accessdate = July 22, 2017|publisher = SF Examiner}}</ref><ref name=bart-crunican-selected>{{cite web|url = https://www.bart.gov/news/articles/2011/news20110831|title = Grace Crunican is selected as BART's new General Manager|date = August 31, 2011|accessdate = July 22, 2017|publisher = Bay Area Rapid Transit}}</ref><ref name=crunican-in-line-for-bart-gm>{{cite news|url = http://www.sfgate.com/bayarea/matier-ross/article/Grace-Crunican-in-line-for-post-of-BART-manager-2336218.php|title = Grace Crunican in line for post of BART manager|author = Matier & Ross|date = August 3, 2011|accessdate = July 22, 2017|newspaper = [[San Francisco Chronicle]]}}</ref>
In 2013, it was reported that in addition to her severance package, Dugger had continued to receive money from BART to compensate for unused sick leave during her 19 years of working for BART, and that, as a result, Dugger was BART's highest paid employee in 2012 despite not working for BART.<ref name=dugger-banked-vacation-time>{{cite news|url = http://www.mercurynews.com/2013/06/12/bart-chief-policies-behind-predecessors-330000-vacation-pay-deserves-review/|title = BART chief: Policies behind predecessor's $330,000 vacation pay deserves review|last = Peele|first = Thomas|date = June 12, 2013|accessdate = August 20, 2017|newspaper = [[The Mercury News]]}}</ref><ref name=crunican-excessive-exec-comp>{{cite web|url = http://www.beyondchron.org/are-bart-executives-overpaid/|title = Are BART Executives Overpaid?|date = July 10, 2013|accessdate = July 22, 2017|publisher = Beyond Chron}}</ref> Responding to concerns raised about this, Grace Crunican, the new BART General Manager, said that the policy deserved review, but also defended the policy by noting that allowing people to accumulate vacation time for later could incentivize them to work harder while at the helm.<ref name=dugger-banked-vacation-time/>
== Personal life == While she worked at BART, Dugger lived in the [[Grand Lake, Oakland, California|Grand Lake District]] in [[Oakland, California]] with her husband Lou.<ref name=ebt-cool-dugger/> Since her office was near [[19th Street Oakland station]], the closest BART station to her home, she did not take BART to commute to work, but she frequently used BART for meetings in San Francisco and to check out the condition in trains.<ref name=ebt-cool-dugger/><ref name=sfgate-board-firing-meeting/><ref>{{Cite web|url = https://ginnyprior.com/2008/03/11/dorothy-dugger-bart-general-manager/|title = Dorothy Dugger: BART General Manager|last = Prior|first = Ginny|date = March 11, 2008|accessdate = August 20, 2017}}</ref> She identified not having children as one of her biggest regrets.<ref name=dugger-convo/>
==See also==
* [[Richard A. White]] * [[Thomas Margro]] * [[Grace Crunican]] * [[Carole Ward Allen]]
== References == {{reflist|30em}}
{{Bay Area Rapid Transit}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Dugger, Dorothy}} [[Category:Bay Area Rapid Transit]] [[Category:Living people]] [[Category:Year of birth missing (living people)]]