A veteran in-house transit manager, a former airline executive and a Canadian transit chief are the three finalists to run RTD as it faces the challenge of how to complete the beleaguered FasTracks program in the midst of the worst economy in generations.

The elected RTD board on Tuesday night named as finalists for general manager:

• Phil Washington, the current interim CEO and general manager at RTD. Washington joined RTD nine years ago and is assistant general manager for administration. He oversees the finance, procurement, information technology, human resources, treasury and disadvantaged business enterprise departments. Before joining RTD, Washington spent 24 years in the Army, retiring as a decorated Command Sergeant Major.

• Sean Donohue, former United Airlines senior vice president for flight operations. Donohue left United in June 2008 and has worked on private equity ventures for the past year. RTD is seeking to bring private equity into the FasTracks program to help meet a $2.2 billion budget gap in the $6.9 billion capital program. Donohue joined United in 1984 and was part of the launch of Ted, the low-fare subsidiary of the airline. He was responsible for United’s system operations control center as well as working on the financial and operational performance of United Express.

• Douglas Kelsey, president and CEO of the British Columbia Rapid Transit Company. In that role, Kelsey oversaw a $2 billion public-private partnership for the Canada Line, a rail service to Vancouver International Airport that cost $117 million and opened in 2007. Kelsey worked at Shell Oil and managed all Shell retail locations in Canada before being recruited by Starbucks to manage the coffee giant’s Canadian retail locations. RTD is relying on a public-private partnership to develop the commuter train corridor to Denver International Airport.

The new manager will replace 14-year RTD head Cal Marsella, who resigned in July amid criticism over RTD’s handling of the FasTracks program.

“This is an exciting and critical time in the history of RTD, so we are pleased to have such strong finalists,” said Lee Kemp, who chairs the RTD board. “We have literally searched across the world to find the most qualified candidates to ensure RTD continues to be the best transit agency in the nation.”

All three finalists will meet RTD staff, consultants, transportation stakeholders and other members of the public at a reception Thursday in the Oxford Hotel. They also will meet with a civic leaders’ panel named last week that will advise the RTD on its impressions and recommendations.

The board itself will interview the finalists on Friday and expects to name a new general manager by the end of the month.