New Des Moines Area Regional Transit Authority (DART) leader Elizabeth Presutti wants to finish what she started.

As the chief development officer of the transit authority, Presutti had a major role in the projects DART is trying to launch in the coming months, including the new DART Central Station hub, the DART Forward 2035 plan and the implementation of a real-time information system on the buses to let riders know when their bus is coming.

When previous general manager Brad Miller decided to leave for a new job in Florida, Presutti wanted to become the person who makes sure the projects were completed.

“I thought that the general manager position coming available would be a really good place to see those through to fruition and really be able to see them immersed within the organization,” she said.

Presutti was among five finalists for the job, and one of two internal candidates. DART Commission Chair Angela Connolly pointed to Presutti’s familiarity with the organization and the community as a selling point in putting her in the top position.

“We won’t skip a beat,” Connolly said in a statement when Presutti was hired.