Executive Leadership
Erik Hansen
Chief Executive Officer
Erik Hansen is the CEO of SouthWest Transit (SWT), the 2024 Minnesota Public Transit Association system of the year. Under his leadership, SWT advanced cutting-edge AI technologies, including the first autonomous vehicle (AV) service in the Twin Cities and camera-based AI Automatic Passenger Counters (APCs). Stemming from Erik’s 30-year career in entrepreneurship, local government, and public policy, he believes that public transit agencies should accelerate innovation to meet modern customer expectations with open payment systems, seamless transit journeys, and other customer-centric technology solutions. With this vision, he has been able to transform SouthWest Transit into the fastest-growing transit system in Minnesota, with 38% more riders than just two years ago. Erik has been a long-time advocate for transportation funding while serving as a Mayor, City Councilmember, County Commissioner, City Administrator, and CEO. He's the founder of Smart Commute, a transportation demand management agency in the Denver metro area, has been recognized twice for his efforts developing regional partnerships by the Metro Denver Economic Development Corporation, and has served on numerous transportation boards and committees. Erik holds an MBA from the University of Denver and certificate in State and Local Government leadership at the Harvard Kennedy School of Government.
Erica Schulte King
Chief Operating Officer
Erica joined the SouthWest Transit team in March 2024 before stepping into her current role as Chief Operating Officer in September 2025. She brings more than 25 years’ experience in branding, strategic marketing, public relations, communications, and community engagement in the organic food and energy industries. Having worked at both the grassroots and senior leadership levels, Erica joins SouthWest Transit with a focus on service to the community, sustainability, and brand growth. In addition, Erica served on the Climate Collaborative Advisory Committee and was a founding Board Member of Citizens for the Minnehaha Creek Corridor. In 2022, Erica founded Kookaburra Meets aka "Minnesota Women", an organization committed to supporting women as well as local, independent businesses in the community. A graduate of the University of Connecticut, Erica moved from coastal Connecticut to landlocked Minnesota and raised her children among the lakes and parks of urban Minneapolis. Now a resident of Orono, Erica spends her time reading, walking, listening to podcasts, spending time on Lake Minnetonka with her husband, and anxiously awaiting texts from her grown children.