Thursday, October 1, 2026
WENATCHEE — The Link Transit Board of Directors gave the public a chance to meet its two CEO finalists on May 4, offering a side-by-side look at two candidates whose experience reflects different paths through the transit world.
The hour-long meet and greet at Columbia Station was informal by design, allowing board members, staff and community members to circulate, ask questions and hear directly from the candidates as the agency moves toward selecting its next chief executive.
What emerged was not a debate, but a contrast in perspective.
Patrick Preusser, the outside candidate, brings nearly three decades of experience in transit leadership, with work spanning multiple agencies and systems that include bus, rail and paratransit operations. His background centers on managing large organizations, overseeing complex operations and working directly with boards and elected officials.
In an exchange with Chelan County Commissioner Kevin Overbay, Preusser emphasized the importance of visibility and internal culture, describing a leadership style built on engagement with employees and riders.
“I will meet people on the route when it starts,” he said, adding that he prioritizes customer experience and consistent communication within the agency.
“And I send out weekly emails that capture peer to peer recognition.”
His comments reflected a focus on building cohesion across an organization and developing a clearer understanding of a system by spending time in the field.
Donald Billen, Link’s current planning manager, spoke from a different vantage point, one rooted in the structure and function of transit systems themselves.
When asked whether he considered himself a “transit nerd,” Billen embraced the label.
“I’m a little bit of a transit nerd. I’ll wear that proudly.”
Billen’s responses centered on his three decades in public transit and his experience at Sound Transit, where he served as planning director with responsibility for major capital projects, long-range planning and a large staff and budget.
He described the challenges of managing expansion in a growing system, pointing to what he saw as a loss of fiscal discipline as projects expanded beyond their practical limits.
“Light rail was almost a victim of its own success,” he said, explaining that demand pushed projects into areas where the technology did not always make sense, while costs continued to rise.
Billen said his work often involved holding projects within scope and helping develop alternatives when plans became unaffordable, including efforts to address a ballot measure that required difficult tradeoffs.
He contrasted that experience with Link’s scale, where he said the agency can respond more quickly and maintain closer working relationships across departments.
“You get to see the results a lot quicker,” he said.
Billen also pointed to his familiarity with the Wenatchee Valley and his day-to-day presence in the community, describing a system where planning decisions and service outcomes are closely connected.
Together, the two candidates highlighted complementary strengths.
Preusser’s experience reflects leadership across large, complex systems and a focus on organizational management and culture. Billen’s background is grounded in planning, system design and the operational realities of transit at the local level.
The CEO position requires both, with responsibility for long-term strategy, fiscal oversight and day-to-day service delivery in a growing, multi-jurisdictional system.
No decision was made May 4. Instead, the meet and greet served as an opportunity for the board to gather public input ahead of its final selection.
A wide range of local stakeholders attended, including Wenatchee City Councilmember — and Link driver — Jose Luis Cuevas, and Rachel Evey of Our Valley, Our Future, among others.
The board is expected to weigh both public feedback and its own internal deliberations before making a final decision.
Andrew Simpson: 509-433-7626 or andrew@ward.media
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