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Meet Leon Tran!
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Leon Tran
Staff Accountant-Accounts Receivable
Finance Department
What are your primary job responsibilities?
 I work in accounts receivable, which means I’m responsible for the payments that come in from APTA billings. The primary issue is to make sure APTA gets paid, but I also have to keep track of checks, make sure they go to the right place, and that all funds are accounted for.
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What kind of contact do you have with APTA members?
When I said I keep track of the money that comes in, that includes following up when there’s a discrepancy in the books. I do the research: Did APTA receive payment? If so, where is it?
Once a month, I look at receivables that date back 30 days or more and contact the creditors to remind them of the outstanding charge. Some of them may not have received the original bill, so I may send one.
Other times, the creditor may have paid the bill but the check was either lost or incorrectly applied. When APTA follows up, we ask for the check information so I can see if it is in our system. If that doesn’t help, I ask the creditor to send a photo of the back of the check so we can make sure that it was cashed and that APTA cashed it. It sometimes happens that the creditor sends a check intended for another organization.
What initiatives, projects or programs have you worked on at APTA that you have taken particular pride in completing?
I think of accounts receivable as my responsibility. It’s important to minimize receivables to improve cashflow; outstanding charges can be a drag on the process. We’re a nonprofit but we need money to survive.
Accounts receivable is part of many APTA departments: advertising, meetings, many others. I work closely with staff in these departments so we’re on the same page. For example, in advance of an APTA meeting I check on what payments have already arrived and which are outstanding. Did payment accompany all registrations? How about payment for booths at the Products & Services Showcase? I want to make sure nothing gets lost.
How did you “land” at APTA? How long have you worked here? Have you held other public transit-related jobs?
I joined APTA in January 2015, so I’ve been here just over a year.
My previous job was with the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) in Reston, VA. I live in Washington, DC, and have a wife and two children—one of whom wasn’t born at the time—and wanted to be closer to home. Now I take public transportation for my commute and use the APTA commuter tax benefit.
When I saw the APTA job description, I saw it as an opportunity to bring my strengths to the table. I worked in accounts receivable at ASCE, so I already knew the specifics. Also, I think I work well with others, which is an important skill for this job.
ASCE is not specifically a public transit-oriented organization, but it has partnered with APTA on projects.
Could you tell us something about yourself that might surprise us?
I’m an outdoor guy and I enjoy sports, primarily golf—I’m a golf fanatic—but also basketball and flag football.I have a son, two and a half years old, and a daughter, 8 months old.
I live with my family in the Columbia Heights neighborhood of Washington. Actually, I’ve lived there since I arrived with my family from Vietnam in 1992.
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