Samuel Johnson, CEO of Transportation Corridor Agencies (TCA), has been elected to Chapman University’s Board of Governors.

Johnson was elected to a three-year term on the 36-member board by the university’s Board of Trustees. The Board of Governors is an advisory committee tasked with making suggestions regarding focus areas to help the university president and Board of Trustees monitor strategic planning, academic programs and external relations.

As part of his commitment, Johnson will serve on standing committees, special committees and other Board of Trustees advisory committees.

“I am honored to be part of Chapman University’s Board of Governors. As a lifelong believer in the power of education, I’m excited for this opportunity to be part of influencing the focus and strategic plans of a historic and notable institution,” Johnson said. “I look forward to working with the members of the Board of Governors in advising President (Daniele) Struppa and the Board of Trustees.”

An accomplished tolling executive and forward-thinking industry leader with nearly 30 years of public agency experience, Johnson joined TCA in 2015 as Chief Toll Operations Officer.

During his tenure, his strategic contract approaches improved the Agencies’ fiscal position by saving millions of dollars per year and he led key initiatives such as the statewide effort to adopt sticker transponders. He has overseen revenue management, violation processing, toll compliance, customer service, customer experience communications, information technology and more.

His strong history as a trusted leader in transportation and mobility led to Johnson being named interim CEO of TCA in April 2020. He retained the role with a unanimous vote by the Boards of Directors in September 2020.

Johnson is the first person of color to hold the top position at the Agencies and is the highest-ranking Black leader in Orange County transportation, overseeing the Agencies that operate the state’s largest network of toll roads, responsible for an annual average budget of nearly $400 million and investment portfolios in excess of $1.5 billion.

Since Johnson was named CEO of TCA, under his direct guidance the Agencies reformed their internal audit function for increased transparency; created a more robust consumer privacy policy; and working with Board leadership, reduced their annual budget by 51 percent, while preserving jobs and prioritizing key projects.

Johnson is past president of the International Bridge, Tunnel and Turnpike Association (IBTTA), the worldwide association representing toll facility owners and operators and the businesses that serve them, where last year he instituted the association’s Task Force on Diversity, Social and Racial Inclusion.

He established a formal partnership with the Conference of Minority Transportation Officials (COMTO) to further the efforts of the task force, which works to implement practices and programs that contribute to social justice and expanding recognition for Black, indigenous, and people of color (BIPOC). Johnson also championed the expansion of a scholarship program to specifically assist students pursuing studies at Historically Black Colleges and Universities.

Earlier this year, Johnson was recognized with the Transportation Trailblazer award from the Conference of Minority Transportation Officials Southern California (COMTO SoCal) chapter, and he also received a humanitarian award from the Women In Tolling Council for his efforts to “build awareness that is tangible, actionable and meaningful.”

Prior to joining TCA, Johnson spent 12 years with the San Diego Association of Governments (SANDAG) overseeing countywide efforts to implement innovative transportation solutions and serving as part of the executive team responsible for the region’s tolling enterprise, including the State Route 125 toll road and the I-15 Express Lanes, the nation’s first dynamically priced toll facility.

Johnson earned a Bachelor of Science in business management with an emphasis in accounting from San Diego State University.

For more information or to schedule an interview with Samuel Johnson, please contact Eugene Fields at efields@thetollroads.com.

The Transportation Corridor Agencies (TCA) are two joint powers authorities formed by the California Legislature in 1986 to plan, finance, construct and operate Orange County’s public toll road system comprised of the 73, 133, 241 and 261 Toll Roads.