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MATA has responded to news the now former CEO Ron Garrison was arrested for allegedly patronizing a prostitute.
>>MATA CEO resigns following arrest for patronizing a prostitute
Sources told FOX13 Garrison was arrested Wednesday.
He resigned, citing health reasons, before news of the arrest broke.
>>TBI holds news conference about human trafficking investigation
In a statement, MATA said:
As it relates to today’s announcement from the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation regarding former MATA CEO Ron Garrison, this in no way diminishes the contributions of Mr. Garrison at MATA during his tenure over the last few years. MATA and its Board of Commissioners wishes him well in his future endeavors. But, our top priority as an organization is to remain committed to the number one task at hand and that is diligently serving the Memphis public and our customers by identifying dedicated funding sources and ensuring that public transit is a reliable option for the Memphis area. While the leadership may have changed at MATA, our commitment to our mission has not.
At 4:38 p.m. on Jan. 27 MATA sent a revised statement:
On January 26, 2017, Ron Garrison formally notified MATA Board Chair Sean Healy that for health reasons he was resigning effective immediately. His resignation was promptly accepted. Earlier today the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation announced that former MATA CEO Ron Garrison was arrested in conjunction with a Human Trafficking Sting operation here in Memphis. While Mr. Garrison’s criminal charges will be resolved by the courts, MATA does not condone Human Trafficking or any other violation of the law.
The announcement from the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation regarding Mr. Garrison in no way reflects the standards and values of MATA. Our top priority is serving the Memphis public and our customers. While the leadership has changed at MATA, our commitment to our mission has not.
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