The Roaring Fork Transit Authority board of directors named a finalist for a new leader after longtime RFTA CEO Dan Blankenship announced his retirement in December, a RFTA news release states.

Kurt Ravenschlag will become the RFTA CEO in Sept. 2024, RFTA announced in a news release Thursday. Ravenschlag has served as chief operating officer for RFTA since Jan. 2018, according to a news release from RFTA. He has overseen several operations at RFTA, including the implementation of a $250 million capital improvement plan.

As statutorily required, RFTA will wait 14 days following the announcement before formally appointing Ravenschlag.

“While the Board of Directors is excited about Ravenschlag’s potential to lead RFTA into its next chapter, they will await the expiration of the mandatory notice period,” a RFTA news release states.

Before joining RFTA, Ravenschlag served as the general manager of Transfort, the public transportation provider in Fort Collins. Before his work in transportation, he was a sergeant in the United States Marine Corps.

“I am honored by the opportunity to be considered for the CEO position at RFTA,” Ravenschlag said in the release. “Under Dan Blankenship’s leadership, we have achieved remarkable sucesses, and I look forward to continuing that tradition.”

Blankenship will remain employed by RFTA until the end of 2024 to serve as a supporting role after he steps down as CEO.