Executive Staff

Ralph Lee

Ralph Lee has more than 35 years of experience leading HR teams. He has developed talent strategies, led organizational change, and improved employee engagement. Before joining SARTA, Ralph was Chief Human Resources Officer at Kenan Advantage Group (KAG) and held HR leadership roles at Total Quality Logistics, Cintas Corporation, and Comair Airlines, where he managed HR for large, multi-site teams.

In addition to his corporate leadership, he is actively involved in the community, serving on the boards of Employers Health, Cleveland Clinic Mercy Hospital Foundation, and Moving the Community Forward. He also chairs several organizations, including the Canton Eric Snow YMCA, the American Red Cross-National Diversity Advisory Council (NDAC), the Greater Canton Chamber of Commerce, and the Greater Stark County Urban League.

He and his wife, Janelle, co-founded the Fore Kids Charity Golf Fund to support youth initiatives. He also serves as a Civil Service Commissioner for the City of Canton. He earned a Bachelor of Business Management degree from Xavier University, where he was also inducted into the Xavier Athletic Hall of Fame.

Mark Finnicum

Operations

Mark Finnicum has been the Chief Operations Officer who oversees the daily operations of both the Maintenance and Transportation Departments for SARTA since 2014.

Mark began his career at SARTA in 2005 as the Parts and Inventory Supervisor before becoming the Director of Maintenance in 2007. Mark has been involved with the building and expansion of SARTA’s alternative fueling stations and oversee the deployment of both the CNG and hydrogen fuel cell fleet.

Currently, Mark serves as a member of the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) Electric Transit User Group, the Vice-Chair of the OPTA Safety and Security Committee, Ohio Transit Risk Pool, and the Midwest Zero-Emission Bus Working Group.

SARTA’s Transportation Department:

• To provide professional, safe, and reliable transportation to the citizens of Stark County.

SARTA’s Maintenance Department:

• Provides safe reliable transportation on Fixed Route or Paratransit vehicles through timely preventive maintenance.
• Maintaining all of the transit centers, shelters, and stops ensuring they are safe, secure, and cleaned daily.

Joe Wayne, CPA

Chief Financial Officer

Joe Wayne joined SARTA in 2025 as Chief Financial Officer. He brings more than 30 years of experience in accounting, finance, budgeting, financial modeling, and financial reporting, primarily in the private sector.

Most recently, Joe served as a consultant with CliftonLarsonAllen and Resources Global Professionals. In these roles, he worked as a controller for a number of small to mid-sized organizations. In addition, he has supported numerous companies in navigating periods of transition, providing financial leadership, strengthening controls, and improving reporting and operational processes.

Joe also has extensive experience in capital-intensive manufacturing environments, including steel, forging, machining, and other industrial operations, where he developed deep expertise in cost management, capital planning, and operational finance.

Joe was raised in Stark County and is a graduate of Stark State College and Walsh University, where he earned degrees in Accounting and Finance, respectively. He is both a Certified Public Accountant (CPA) and a Certified Management Accountant (CMA).

SARTA’s Finance Department:

• Provides financial oversight to ensure SARTA is a responsible steward of public resources while supporting the agency’s long-term financial sustainability
• Produces timely and accurate financial statements and reports for management, the Board of Directors, and governing bodies
• Plans, organizes, and directs the agency’s financial accounting activities; oversees the books and records; analyzes revenues and expenses; supports future investment decisions; and safeguards agency assets

Tammy Marie Brown

Human Resources

Tammy Marie Brown has been an employee of SARTA since 2006.  As the Director of Human Resources, she oversees recruitment, hiring, employee benefits, training and development.  Tammy reviews practices, procedures, resources, competencies and workloads to improve the performance of core functions that support each department.  Employee Relations and the Equal Employment Opportunity program are also administered as part of Human Resources. Tammy Marie Brown is a graduate of Malone University with a bachelor’s in Organizational Management.

SARTA’s Human Resources Department:

• Coordinates screenings, recruiting and training of job applicants, as well as administering the employee benefit programs.
• Reviews practices, procedures, resources, competencies and workload and improves the performance of core functions to adequately support each department.

SARTA’s Employee Relations & EEO Department:

• Create an environment that values and supports employee engagement and promotes a healthy organization by developing programs and events for all SARTA employees.
• Eliminate discrimination by enforcing Federal Laws and proactively build a diverse and inclusive workforce to better serve and understand the needs of our customers and communities.

Craig Smith

Information Technology (IT)

Craig Smith, joined SARTA as the Director of Information Technology in 2011. Craig operates, oversees and supports the IT infrastructure which enables employees and users to carry out their roles and duties efficiently, productively and securely. He is also responsible for developing an information technology strategy that supports SARTA’s business goals and objectives.  Craig, earned a bachelor’s degree in Computer Science from Bowling Green State University and an active member of Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, Inc.

SARTA’s Information Technology Department:

• Responsible for developing an information technology strategy that supports SARTA’s business goals and objectives.
• Operates, oversees and supports SARTA’s IT infrastructure which enables employees/users to carry out their roles and duties efficiently, productively and securely.
• SARTA’s Information Technology Department is also responsible for protecting their IT infrastructure and data against attacks from viruses, cybercriminals and other threats.

Latrice Virola

Customer Relations

Latrice started as a Travel Trainer at SARTA in 2012.  She went out in the community to help people navigate the transit system in Stark County. In 2013, SARTA created a new service as a Medicaid Provider for transportation. Latrice took on the role as Contract Administrator for SARTA and was instrumental in setting up the infrastructure for this new service. Under Latrice’s guidance SARTA started to enter transportation agreements with various social service agencies and organizations throughout Stark County. In 2014, Latrice was promoted to the Director of Planning at SARTA where she was responsible for marketing, public relations activities, community outreach, contract services, and travel training. In October of 2019 Latrice was given the additional responsibility of managing customer service and her title was changed to Director of Customer Relations. She has continued to cultivate a positive relationship with government agencies & community partners ensuring continued collaboration on strategy and program development. Latrice is a certified Lean Six Sigma Green and Black Belt.

Latrice graduated from Miami University, BS, Decision Sciences. She is a member of the 30th class of the Leadership Stark County’s Signature Program. In addition, Latrice is a member of the Strengthening Stark Catalyst Collaborative, President of the Board of EN RICH MENT, President of the YWCA of Canton and Executive Board Member of Boy Scouts of America Buckeye Council.

SARTA’s Customer Relations Department:

• Plans, organizes, oversees and executes marketing, advertising, branding support, public relations activities, customer service actives, as well as all community outreach functions.
• Assists customers to ensure the safe, courteous, and on-time transportation of SARTA passengers on both fixed route and paratransit.
• Collaborates on strategy & program development with government agencies and community partners to provide effective transit service

Clayton Popik

Director of Planning

Clayton has worked in transit for 21 years, having started his career with PARTA as a Student Operator while attending Kent State University.  Clayton continued his career in transit taking on managerial roles in both the Operations and Planning Departments for PARTA while earning his master’s degree in urban planning.

Clayton came to SARTA in 2021 to take on capital projects such as the construction of the Massillon Transit Center and the expansion of SARTA’s main administrative campus on Gateway Boulevard.  In 2025, Clayton was promoted to Director of Planning where his project management role was expanded to include service planning, grants management, and procurement for SARTA.  Clayton was awarded the Ohio Public Transit Association’s Four Under Forty award in 2021 and graduated from the 36^th class of Leadership Stark County.

The Planning Department at SARTA oversees four aspects of the organization:

• Service planning where SARTA’s service data is studied regularly to ensure the most dependable and efficient travel options are made available to Stark County residents.
• Grant management where dedicated staff ensure that SARTA applies for all available funding sources necessary to accomplish its service, fleet, and facilities goals.
• Procurement administration where policy and procedure drive the ethical and legal purchasing of services and goods with SARTA’s Federal, State, and local dollars.
• Project management to plan and construct facilities that meet the needs of SARTA’s ridership by providing for ample workspace for dedicated staff, transfer facilities that are comfortable for SARTA’s riders, and vehicle storage to keep our fleet maintained, sheltered, and clean so all vehicles are ready to deliver service to those who need it within Stark County.