The Des Moines Area Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) announced yesterday that R. Todd Ashby was named executive director of the organization.

Ashby, a resident of Ankeny, joins the MPO after serving as an account manager for the state’s Medicaid Non-Emergency Transportation Program at TMS Management Group Inc. Prior to that, he worked as an assistant director for transportation for the Mid-America Regional Council in Kansas City, and has also worked for the Missouri Department of Transportation.

Ashby replaces Tom Kane, who retired as executive director on Dec. 31 after 19 years with the MPO.

Ashby will take over at the end of January. MPO Principal Transportation Planner Adam Noelting will fill in as interim executive director until then.

The MPO is an organization that helps plan transportation issues in Des Moines, with input from the state and local government and city leaders. It is currently in the middle of developing a long-term sustainability plan.