Julian Burke, 85, chief executive officer of the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (now Los Angeles Metro) from 1997 to 2001, died March 30.

Burke had been a corporate turnaround specialist with Victor Palmieri Associates for more than 20 years when he came to the agency as interim CEO in August 1997. He accepted the position on a permanent basis the following spring.

During Burke’s tenure, Los Angeles Metro shored up its finances and worked closely with its funding partners in ­Sacramento and Washington. The agency also overhauled its bus system and completed the final leg of the Metro Rail subway within budget and six months ahead of schedule.

At the time Burke announced his plans to step down in 2001, Yvonne ­Brathwaite Burke (no relation), then LACMTA board chair, said: “I don’t think it’s an understatement to say that Julian Burke transformed the MTA. This is a much more stable agency and one that has a much better customer focus than the MTA that existed before Julian became CEO.”