Texas Transportation Hall of Honor 2021 Inductee: Barry M. Goodman
Texas Transportation Hall of Honor 2021 Inductee: Barry M. Goodman
“This is not a hall of fame, for fame is fleeting and shallow. This is a Hall of Honor. It has depth, and it has meaning that will go on for years to come.” – Ray Barnhart
Cover Image by Alison Goodman
HOUSTON, TX, October 10, 2022 – Barry M. Goodman is officially the 48th inductee into the Texas Transportation Hall of Honor. For over 45 years, Goodman has been a transformational leader in the Texas transportation industry with a history of building effective partnerships to develop, fund, and implement innovative transit systems throughout urban and rural Texas.
Held at the Omni Houston Hotel on September 28, the induction ceremony included about 100 guests and seven program speakers, including:
Greg Winfree, Agency Director, Texas A&M Transportation Institute
A Tribute from Former City of Houston Mayor Fred Hofheinz, presented by Andy Icken, Chief Development Officer, City of Houston;
Thomas Lambert, President and CEO, Metropolitan Transit Authority of Harris County;
Douglas Matthews, Assistant Vice President of Government Relations, The University of Texas Medical Branch;
Robert Heineman, Former Vice President of Planning and Design, The Woodlands Development Company;
Robert Eury, Former President and CEO, Central Houston, Inc. (CHI); and
Jim Webb, CEO, The Goodman Corporation.
Barry M. Goodman responds to a series of reflections on his career, presented by speakers (R-L) Jim Webb, Robert Eury, Robert Heineman, Douglas Matthews, Thomas Lambert, Andy Icken, Greg Winfree | Photo by Alison Goodman
A trendsetter for his entire career, Goodman arrived in Houston from Washington, D.C. in the mid-1970s ready to lead the way. He began his transit career as a Senior Legal Counsel with the Urban Mass Transit Administration, predecessor of today’s Federal Transit Administration. Goodman’s groundbreaking efforts have resulted in:
$2 billion in transportation-related capital improvements across Texas;
Establishment of the Texas Public Transit Trust Fund, key transit agencies (including Houston METRO), and Houston's first regional mobility plan;
1000+ instrumental conversations, funding partnerships, and consensus building toward project implementation; and
45+ years of innovation, trendsetting, public service, and connecting capital to communities for the betterment of all.
Recruited by former Houston Mayor Fred Hofheinz to significantly upgrade city transit services, Goodman leveraged his formal law education, visionary leadership, creativity, and persistence to shape his life’s mission: connecting capital to communities. Throughout his career, he has participated in precedent-setting initiatives and brought keen foresight in the value and recognition of coalition building, funding innovation, system building, and dedication to the mobility of all Texans.
As head of the city of Houston’s Office of Public Transportation, Goodman was instrumental in leading a coalition of Texas cities to draft legislation that established the Texas Public Transit Trust Fund. He was a key founder of Houston METRO, served as its first Executive Director, and played critical roles in the establishment, reformation, reorganization, and improvement of other notable transit agencies across the country. Goodman was also instrumental in developing Houston’s first regional mobility plan and various nonprofit organizations and think tanks to enhance the opportunity to collectively solve complex mobility challenges.
Since establishing The Goodman Corporation (TGC) in 1980, he has assisted hundreds of public and private clients realize $2 billion in transportation-related capital improvements. A continuous forum for creative solutions, TGC’s body of work is a testament to the proposition that creativity, tenacity, and dedication are the ingredients of success – principles Goodman continues to inspire and follow today.
An advocate and consensus builder, Goodman has led thousands of instrumental conversations and served key roles in the development of innovative funding and public-private partnerships – often challenging the state and industry status quo and crafting a trademark of unrelenting optimism.
“Barry has always said finding the money is the easy part,” said John Carrara, who has built a 40+ year career with TGC. “Achieving consensus is the difficult part. The persistence is what keeps the discussion active and keeps bringing new ideas to the debate until consensus can be reached.”
“Transforming ‘vision’ into ‘reality,’ ‘planning into implementation,’ and the leverage of local resources – through a collaborative process of discussion and discovery which includes all stakeholders – is a process which will ensure the success of a project and the enhancement of every life each project serves,” said Goodman.
Goodman continues influencing the course of mobility improvements and shaping the Texas transportation industry. He resides in Austin, Texas with his wife Susan. He is a musician, world traveler, and grandpa to five beautiful grandkids.
Overseen by a five-member board comprised of senior transportation professionals, the Texas Transportation Hall of Honor, located at the Texas A&M Transportation Institute (TTI), provides the opportunity to annually recognize exceptional transportation leaders and their significant contributions to the state. Each individual is recognized by a plaque on permanent display in the Hall of Honor at TTI’s Headquarters in Bryan, Texas.
Barry M. Goodman, Hall of Honor 2021 Inductee, Induction Ceremony, Houston, TX, 2022 | Photo by Alison Goodman
Barry M. Goodman, Houston City Magazine feature in front of the Allen Center, Downtown Houston, 1980s
Texas A&M Transportation Institute (TTI)
Established in 1950, TTI addresses complex transportation challenges and opportunities with innovation, objectivity and unmatched technical expertise. Recognized as one of the premier higher education-affiliated transportation research agencies in the world, the Institute conducts over 700 research projects annually with more than 200 sponsors at all levels of government and the private sector.
The Goodman Corporation (TGC)
Established in 1980 by Barry M. Goodman, TGC is a Texas-based professional service firm with a wide range of planning and engineering expertise, project management experience, and unique understanding of the governmental processes for funding and implementing priority projects. Contact TGC to learn more about their services, team, and mission to connect capital to communities across Texas and beyond.