CHARLESTON,WV— Today, Governor-elect Jim Justice announced that Tom Smith will serve as the secretary of the West Virginia Department of Transportation and commissioner of the Division of Highways. Smith brings a background in engineering and experience with the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) to his duties.
Tom Smith has served as Senior Transportation Advisor for the Appalachian Regional Commission in Washington, D.C. since January 2016. Prior to that, he worked for the Federal Highway Administration for 37½ years, most recently serving as the Division Administrator for the West Virginia Division for the over 16 years. During his first 20 years, he occupied various field engineering positions in a number of states, including: Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Georgia, Ohio and California. Tom is a Registered Professional Engineer in West Virginia, Ohio, and Pennsylvania.
Smith graduated from North Carolina State University. After he finishes his duties with the Appalachian Regional Commission, he will start with the Justice Administration in February.
“Our roads and bridges are crumbling and Tom Smith is the right choice to spearhead the effort to upgrade our transportation infrastructure,” said Governor-elect Jim Justice. “He has the hands-on experience building roads I want in this position, and Tom understands how get the most out of every transportation dollar. It’s no secret that we’ve got to trim the fat in the Division of Highways and make it accountable. Tom is the right man to help me fix our roads and be responsible with every dollar of taxpayer money.”
“I am honored for the opportunity to serve the Governor-elect and the people of West Virginia,” said Tom Smith. “Transportation is an economic driver because it creates jobs in the short term and brings the potential for long-term development benefits. Upgrading our roads means more jobs and a better quality of life for West Virginia families. I also want to bring a strong focus on improving the safety of our many roadways and work zones.”