Melody Sawyer Richardson, Chair
Mrs. Richardson is a commercial realtor specializing in the sale of unique and historic properties. Her mission is to bring people and businesses back to the urban core.

After receiving a Master's in Social Work from OSU, she went on to earn an MBA (Rutgers School of Management), and JD (Rutgers Law School). She is admitted to the bar in New York, New Jersey, Ohio and Kentucky. Previously an attorney with a Wall Street law firm, she returned to Cincinnati where she became Vice President & General Counsel of Cincinnati Arts Association.

Mrs. Richardson has chaired many events and served on many local and national boards. Currently, she serves as Chair of the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra. She is a member of the Cincinnati USA Convention & Visitors Bureau, Cincinnati Ballet, Cincinnati Opera, SPCA, University of Cincinnati Foundation, the International Sculpture Center, and the U.S. Dept. of State Fine Arts Committee. She is the Ohio Vice Regent for George Washington's home, Mt. Vernon.

A native Cincinnatian, she joined the SORTA Board in 2003. She was elected Chair in 2007 and re-elected to lead the organization in 2008, 2009 and 2010.

During Mrs. Richardson’s tenure as Chair, SORTA has moved forward with a number of key initiatives including:

• Extensive “grow*Metro” community involvement process to refine Metro’s capital plan in preparation for the federal reauthorization process
• A new federal lobbying effort to secure funds for replacement of buses past their useful life and other critical capital projects
• SORTA Board strategic planning process
• Inclusive SORTA budget process that sought input from elected leaders and community partners
• Diversification of Metro services through the addition of articulated (accordion) buses and hybrid buses
• Expansion of the Everybody Rides Metro foundation, which has provided about 700,000 bus tokens to low-income individuals through partner agencies over the past two years

William L. Mallory, Sr., Vice Chairman
Mr. Mallory has served on the Ohio Elections Commission and the board of the YMCA of Greater Cincinnati. He was a member of the Ohio House of Representatives for 28 years, retiring in 1994 with the record as the longest serving majority leader in Ohio's history and the longest serving Ohio House representative from Hamilton County. On the national level, Mr. Mallory was appointed to the National Highway Safety Advisory Committee by President Carter and to the International Trade Advisory Committee by President Clinton.

He has won numerous awards for his support of education, senior citizens, public transportation, mental health, and American Civil Liberties issues, including the Martin Luther King Dream Keeper Award. He is a graduate of Central State University and pursued post-graduate studies at Xavier University. He taught courses at the University of Cincinnati in state government and African-American politics for 25 years.

Minette Cooper
Ms. Cooper has dedicated her life to helping children and her community grow and flourish. She is currently Chief Consultant at Cooper and Associates, where she advises candidates on campaign issues. She served as a Cincinnati City Council member from 1995-2003, holding positions including Vice Mayor, Finance Chair, Health and Human Services Committee Chair, and Economic Development Committee Chair. In 2006, she served as Senior Campaign Consultant for the Citizens for Pepper Committee. Cooper began her career as a kindergarten teacher in the Washington D.C. School System. She went on to become a Head Start teacher within the Montgomery County Public School System and the Community Action Agency. Other experience includes Office Manager at Taft Psychiatric Associates and Director of the Re-Entry Program for the Mental Health Association. Cooper received her Masters of Education at Xavier University in August 2008. She holds a Bachelors degree in Elementary Education from Howard University. She is the mother of three. Ms. Cooper joined SORTA in 2008.

Margaret C. Gutsell
Dr. Gutsell serves as executive director of the Inclusion Network, an organization committed to promoting and supporting efforts to include people with disabilities in the community. During her tenure at the non-profit, her expertise has helped businesses, organizations, schools, museums, and individuals to be more welcoming and inclusive to everyone. The governor appointed Dr. Gutsell to the Ohio Developmental Disabilities Council, where she served two years as vice chair. She holds a B.A. in psychology from Michigan State University, an M.A. in rehabilitation counseling and an Ed.D. in special education from the University of Cincinnati with concentrations in human development counseling and administration. She has taught and published at the university level. She and her husband, Jeff, reside in College Hill. Dr. Gutsell joined the SORTA board in 2007.

J. Thomas Hodges
Mr. Hodges is an attorney licensed in Ohio and Kentucky. His legal practice focuses on serving individuals on civil litigation and criminal defense matters. At 30-years-old, Mr. Hodges is one of the youngest members to ever serve on the board. He holds a bachelors degree from Georgetown College, a masters of public administration from the University of Kentucky, and a law degree from the University of Cincinnati. While at the University of Kentucky, Mr. Hodges’ concentrated on public finance with an emphasis on non-profit and government organizations. The Over-the-Rhine resident was nominated by Cincinnati's City Council and was confirmed for the appointment to the board by the Hamilton County Board of Commissioners in 2010.

Gregg Hothem
Mr. Hothem is a licensed Realtor and Cincinnati-area business leader and serves as the Warren County representative to the board. Hothem has successfully led several corporate restructurings resulting in significant revenue growth and profit gains. He currently serves as General Manager of Venture One Construction, Inc., a Cincinnati-based commercial construction firm specializing in retail new construction and remodeling along with governmental, educational and health care facilities. Hothem is focused on taking Venture One to world class status within its key markets, working with clients such as Wal Mart, Sears, Gordon Food Service and Ohio University, among others. Hothem attended Northern Michigan University and the University of Michigan and holds a B.A. in Accounting and Political Science. He is an active member of the Warren County Regional Planning Commission, the City of Loveland Finance Committee, Executive Service Corp and Habitat for Humanity. Hothem resides with his wife and two daughters in an 1876 restored Victorian home in Loveland. Mr. Hothem joined SORTA in 2009.

Christine L. Matacic
Ms. Matacic is a Liberty Township Trustee and serves as the Butler County representative to the SORTA board. Matacic has twice been elected to four-year terms as a Liberty Township Trustee and is serving in her eighth year. In addition to her elected position, she serves on a variety of boards and committees that include: Ohio Kentucky Indiana Regional Council of Governments (Past President and Co-Chair of the Freight Working Group); Ohio Township Association (CLOUT Executive Committee); Butler County Township Association (President); Butler County Regional Transit Authority Board (Chair of Communications and Outreach); West Chester Chamber Alliance Board; Southwest Regional Advisory Board; and Natural Resources Assistance Council, District 10 Public Works Integrating Committee. In 2008 and 2009, she was named to the Power 100 by Cincy Business Magazine. Matacic is a native of the Cincinnati area and a graduate of the University of Cincinnati with a degree in Business Administration. She and her husband, John, have been residents of Liberty Township for 28 years. They have two adult daughters. Ms. Matacic joined the SORTA board in 2009.

Sean Rugless
Mr. Rugless is President and C.E.O. for the Greater Cincinnati & Northern Kentucky African American Chamber of Commerce and is responsible for cultivating strategic partnerships and alliances for the purpose of strengthening minority businesses and growing the business community as a whole. He maintains a balance between professional, civic, and social involvement. He is a Leadership Cincinnati and Cincinnati Business Courier Forty under 40 alumnus, a member of the Urban League's African-American Leadership Development Program and recognized as Who's Who in Black Cincinnati. Civically, Mr. Rugless is the Board Chairman for Emanuel Community Center in Over-the-Rhine, and serves on the Boards of the Cincinnati USA Convention and Visitors Bureau, SORTA, Downtown Cincinnati Incorporated, and the United Way of Greater Cincinnati. Periodically he serves as an adjunct instructor at Cincinnati State. Through his experience in brand management at Procter & Gamble, combined with time spent as developing and leading a brand consultancy practice in Cincinnati, Ohio, Mr. Rugless facilitates strategy discussions with small businesses, has been cited in several national publications and has been interviewed on a NPR's weekly program "On the Money." He received his MBA in Marketing & Competitive Strategy from the University of Rochester's Simon School of Business. Mr. Rugless joined SORTA in 2008.