The 3496 Texas Transportation Commission has selected Phil Wilson as the 3499 Texas Department of Transportation's (TxDOT) 19th executive director, effective 17 October, 2011. Wilson currently serves as senior vice president of public affairs for 3497 Luminant, an electricity generation company headquartered in Dallas, and previously served as Texas Secretary of State.During his time as secretary of state, Wilson led a number of transportation-related programmes, including the Border Colonia Access Programme and the Texas Interagency Work Group on the Texas and Mexico Border Affairs initiative. The secretary of state also serves as the state's chief economic development officer, and in that role, Wilson worked with TxDOT professionals in bringing new opportunities to the state.Wilson succeeds Amadeo Saenz, Jr., who retired from state service at the end of August. The department's first executive director since legislation was passed in 2009 removing the requirement that the position be occupied by a professional engineer, Wilson holds a bachelor's degree from Hardin-Simmons University in Abilene and a master's degree in business administration from Southern Methodist University.The Texas Department of Transportation, which has some 12,000 employees, is responsible for maintaining 80,000 miles of road and for supporting aviation, rail and public transportation across the state.
