A numbers guy, Senior Rail Budget Analyst Steve Honigman did not have a transportation industry background when he joined the Metropolitan Council 30 years ago as a temporary budget analyst. That changed nine years later when he became a grants analyst in Metro Transit’s finance department.  Before retiring on April 6, Honigman reflected on his role in the financial aspects of helping Metro Transit start two light rail lines and begin construction of one extension and planning for another.       

Honigman created and implemented an electronic capital project budget reporting system for Metro Transit project managers to use in monitoring the budget status of their capital projects. This involved teaching himself certain aspects of Structured Query Language (SQL), a standard language for storing, manipulating and retrieving data in databases, and certain computer techniques for making the electronic reports available on the employee intranet site. A version updated by Metro Transit finance staff is in use today. His Council career highlights include serving on the General Ledger focus group for the PeopleSoft finance system implementation, developing a salary and benefit database application for use in budgeting salary and benefit expense and compiling the Uniform Operating Budget document.  

Honigman’s previous employment included public accounting at a CPA firm, finance positions at a home construction/mortgage banking company, the Rosemount/Apple Valley school district and the Walker Art Center in Minneapolis. Honigman applied at the Council as a result of his networking activities during a job transition period. 

"I stayed with the job because I felt it was a secure position, and I had opportunities to branch out, working with the Council’s federal grants system, working on the financial aspects of the original Blue Line, the Central Corridor Light Rail Project (which became the Green Line) and the beginnings of the Blue Line Extension Project,’’ Honigman said. 

In retirement, Honigman planned to spend time finishing numerous home projects, salmon fishing in Alaska, volunteering and spending more time with family, including his wife of 53 years, Randi, and their three adult sons and six grandchildren.