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DENVER — The Regional Transportation District announced Tuesday that Paul Ballard will serve as the agency’s interim general manager and CEO.

Ballard will replace Dave Genova, who retired on Jan. 20.

Ballard is the former president and CEO of Trinity Metro in Fort Worth, Texas. He also worked at transportation agencies in Tennessee; he was the CEO of the Nashville MTA and Regional Transportation Authority of Middle Tennessee.

“Over more than four and a half decades, Ballard has served as a general manager, CEO or president of public- and private-sector transit systems,” RTD said on its website.

“My Board colleagues and I think that Mr. Ballard will skillfully lead us into RTD’s next era while also ensuring that the agency’s employees remain focused on their service to the public,” RTD Board Chair Angie Rivera-Malpiede said. “On behalf of every Board member, we want to thank the community for its input as part of this process. We look forward to working with him in the months ahead.”

Ballard faces a number of significant challenges at RTD, including an operator shortage, high fares and lower ridership.

Earlier this month, RTD announced Ballard was one of five candidates. He was the only out-of-state finalist.

Ballard’s start date has not yet been announced.

RTD provides public transportation throughout eight counties in the greater Denver area, which has a population of more than 3 million people.