2019-ASHE-RE-Pearson-Person-of-the-Year-Nomination-Package-Paul-Degges

Greg Dutton, P.E American Society of Highway Engineers Immediate Past National President National Nominating Committee Chair GDutton@CPC-Eng.com Re: Robert E Pearson/Person of the Year Nominee: Paul D Degges, P.E Dear Mr Dutton, As president of the ASHE Middle Tennessee section, it is with great pleasure to nominate Mr Paul D Degges for consideration of the 2019 Robert E Pearson/Person of the Year award Mr Degges has devoted his entire career to the advancement of the highway industry on both a state and national level His outstanding leadership and endless dedication to the highway industry make him an ideal candidate for ASHE’s most prestigious award During his 30 year tenure with the Tennessee Department of Transportation (TDOT), Mr Degges has gained valuable experience by working closely with appointed and elected officials on the state and national level in formulating transportation policy In his current position as deputy commissioner/chief engineer, he has overseen the award of more than 6,200 contracts with a construction value of more than $13 billion dollars In addition to his work with TDOT, Mr Degges has generously given his time to serve on multiple AASHTO and FHWA committees He currently holds the position of Vice Chairman of AASHTO’s Committee on Highways & Streets and has served as Tennessee Technological University Dean of Engineering’s Strategic Direction Team and on the Advisory Council for Engineering Mr Degges is a true champion for the advancements in the transportation industry, and we believe it will be difficult for the selection committee to find another candidate whose outstanding professional record and distinguished service to the profession exceeds that of Mr Degges Should you have any questions, please contact me at (615) 253-2899 or via email at Timothy.Colvett@tn.gov Sincerely, Timothy R Colvett P.E ASHE Middle Tennessee President American Society of Highway Engineers 2019 ROBERT E PEARSON PERSON OF THE YEAR AWARD February 14, 2019 TABLE OF CONTENTS NOMINATION FORM .PAGE COMPLETED PUBLIC RELATIONS FORM PAGE NOTABLE ACHIEVEMENTS PAGE HIGHWAY-RELATED SOCIETY PARTICIPATION PAGE PERSONAL DEDICATION .PAGE PEER SUPPORT .PAGE IMPACTS TO THE HIGHWAY INDUSTRY PAGE CURRENT RESUME PAGE BIOGRAPHY PAGE 10 PHOTOGRAPH PAGE 11 i American Society of Highway Engineers 2019 ROBERT E PEARSON PERSON OF THE YEAR AWARD February 14, 2019 COMPLETED NOMINATION FORM ROBERT E PEARSON/PERSON OF THE YEAR AWARD DEADLINE: FEBRUARY 15, 2019 NOMINEE INFORMATION: Name (Last, First, Middle): Mr / Ms Degges, Paul D Home Street Address: 1403 Lipscomb Dr Home City, State, Zip Code: Brentwood, Tennessee, 37027 Daytime Telephone: (615) 741-0791 Email: Paul.Degges@tn.gov Professional Licensure (Type, State, License No.) If Applicable: P.E TN, 100862 Name and Location of Employer: Tennessee Department of Transportation Suite 700 James K Polk Bldg 505 Deaderick Street Nashville, Tennessee 37243-1402 ASHE SPONSORING SECTION INFORMATION: Sponsoring ASHE Section: Middle Tennessee Region: Southeast Section Representative Name: Timothy R Colvett Position (Must be Director of Officer): President Daytime Telephone: (615) 253-2899 Email: Timothy.Colvett@tn.gov (Not required to be an ASHE Member.) Section Representative Signature: Date: 2/14/2019 American Society of Highway Engineers 2019 ROBERT E PEARSON PERSON OF THE YEAR AWARD February 14, 2019 COMPLETED PUBLIC RELATIONS FORM ROBERT E PEARSON/PERSON OF THE YEAR AWARD PUBLIC RELATIONS INFORMATION Please provide the name of at least two local newspapers or other publications for publicity purposes: (Name, Mail and Email Address) Herald-Citizen, 1300 Neal Street, Cookeville, TN 38501 Heraldcitizen@creativecirclemedia.com (Name, Mail and Email Address) The Tennessean, 1100 Broadway, Nashville, TN 37023 Memery@tennessean.com American Society of Highway Engineers 2019 ROBERT E PEARSON PERSON OF THE YEAR AWARD February 14, 2019 NOTABLE ACHIEVEMENTS TENNESSEE TECH UNIVERSITY’S 2015 ENGINEER OF DISTINCTION AWARD Mr Degges was awarded Tennessee Tech University’s Engineer of Distinction Award This prestigious award is the highest honor bestowed to an external stakeholder by the TTU College of Engineering and recognizes friends and alumni for their professional success over a long and distinguished engineering career Winners of this award are selected based on the candidate’s outstanding professional record, distinguished service to the profession, interest in and dedication to the Tennessee Tech University College of Engineering, and the candidate’s personal reputation for outstanding character and citizenship Tennessee Tech University in Cookeville is Paul’s alma mater, and he currently serves on TTU’s Advisory Council for Engineering and the College of Engineering Strategic Directioning Team TENNESSEE CHAPTER OF THE AMERICAN SOCIETY OF PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION 2011 TENNESSEE ADMINISTRATOR OF THE YEAR Mr Degges was awarded The 2011 Tennessee Administrator of the Year award This award is presented to a Tennessee administrator who has made a significant impact during the past year The high performance of this individual is notable in its impact on his/her organization and the landscape of Tennessee administration TENNESSEE SOCIETY OF PROFESSIONAL ENGINEERS 2007 GOVERNMENT ENGINEER OF THE YEAR This award recognizes a professional engineer employed by a local, state or federal governmental agency who has made outstanding contributions to the engineering profession and their communities American Society of Highway Engineers 2019 ROBERT E PEARSON PERSON OF THE YEAR AWARD February 14, 2019 HIGHWAY-RELATED SOCIETY PARTICIPATION FHWA Transportation Research Board (TRB) Research and Technology Coordinating Committee (RTCC) – Member since 2017  The Transportation Research Board is one of six major divisions of the National Research Council, which serves as an independent adviser to the federal government and others on scientific and technical questions of national importance, and which is jointly administered by the National Academy of Sciences, the National Academy of Engineering, and the Institute of Medicine FHWA Transportation Asset Management Expert Task Group – Member since 2017  The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) Office of Asset Management has formed the Transportation Asset Management Expert Task Group (TAM ETG) as a forum to discuss changes in the way highway agencies are managing assets The structure and membership of the TAM ETG were intentionally designed to ensure interaction with key AASHTO and Transportation Research Board committees AASHTO Council on Highways & Streets – Member since 2004, Vice Chairman since 2010  AASHTO’s Council on Highways and Streets (CHS) provides and represents the technical expertise of AASHTO CHS manages the development of policies, guidelines, standards, and publications that are not only recognized by our members, but also by many countries worldwide National Center for Pavement Preservation – Member since 2010  The National Center for Pavement Preservation (NCPP) was established by Michigan State University and FP2, Inc to lead collaborative efforts among government, industry, and academia in the advancement of pavement preservation by advancing and improving pavement preservation practices through education, research and outreach AASHTO Committee on Performance-Based Management – Member since 2009  The Committee on Performance-Based Management is dedicated to provide State DOTs the expertise and resources to support performance-based management and to create a results-driven environment to maximize the performance of both transportation systems and organizations The committee focuses on organizational management, systems performance, and federal policy American Society of Highway Engineers 2019 ROBERT E PEARSON PERSON OF THE YEAR AWARD February 14, 2019 PERSONAL DEDICATION PUBLICATIONS The 1986 Road Program - The Comprehensive Tax Restructure Act of 1986,  Author - July, 2015 Infrastructure Countermeasures to Mitigate Motorcyclist Crashes in Europe,  Co-Author - August, 2012 PRESENTATIONS Keynote Presenter at the 5th Chinese-European Workshop on Functional Pavement,  Changsha, China, October 29, 2018 Asset Management in Tennessee, A presentation to the Korean Ministry of Land, Transport and Maritime Affairs and the Korean Expressway Corporation,  Seoul, South Korea, March 17, 2014 Pavement Management in Tennessee, A presentation to the Japan Ministry of Construction and the Japan Road Contractors Association (JRCA),  Tokyo, Japan, December 4, 2014 State and Local Perspectives on Transportation, Testimony before the Committee on Environment and Public Works,  United States Senate, April 6, 2011 American Society of Highway Engineers 2019 ROBERT E PEARSON PERSON OF THE YEAR AWARD February 14, 2019 Presenter at FHWA Office of Research, Development and Technology International Research Collaboration -Twinning Platform on Pavement and Construction Methods,  Republic of Karelia, Russia, September, 2007 BOARD’S AND COMMITTEE’S Tennessee Technological University Engineering’s Strategic Directioning Team  Dean of The Tennessee Tech University College of Engineering Strategic Plan sets our course to 2020 through the articulation of our vision, core values, and goals The faculty, staff, students, administration, and alumni, in collaboration with industry and government leaders, developed a shared plan which includes the pathway forward Tennessee Technological University Advisory Council for Engineering  The role of the advisory board is to provide dialogue among engineers, managers, and the department The board advises the department in planning and implementing programs that will assure that the objectives of the department are met and that the department remains at the forefront of engineering education PEER SUPPORT Dear Mr Dutton, I support the nomination of Mr Paul Degges for the 2019 ASHE Pearson Award I first met Paul in the late 1980s when he came to work for me in the Hydraulic Engineering Unit with the Tennessee Department of Transportation During this time when the department was transitioning to the use of computers in our design practices and Paul was one of the first (actually the first) to embrace the new hydraulic design programs for personal computers Paul and I would sometimes sit around after work and talk about what we would change once we ran the department Fast forward to 2005 and Paul had passed me by and been named as the Departments' Chief Engineer Shortly after occupying this position, Paul asked me to serve as his Assistant Chief Engineer over Operations, to which I, of course, said yes In his position as Chief Engineer, Paul has been involved with many changes in the Department and was always willing to implement American Society of Highway Engineers 2019 ROBERT E PEARSON PERSON OF THE YEAR AWARD February 14, 2019 meaningful, and sensible, change One of the last projects that we worked on together before my retirement was a complete overhaul of all engineering and maintenance type positions within the Department Not only did Paul have the forethought to require a PE license for several positions but also implemented changes to require high school graduation, or equivalent, for all positions As can be imagined, some of these changes were not popular, but by full implementation several employees had received their high school diplomas, thus providing them with higher salaries and greater promotional opportunities Paul has never been afraid of change, and throughout his 30+ year career with the Tennessee Department of Transportation, he has been at the forefront of many meaningful changes implemented by the Department It is for this reason that I fully support and recommend Mr Paul Degges for the 2019 Pearson Award Steven M Hall Tennessee Department of Transportation, Retired Mr Dutton, I support the nomination of Mr Paul Degges for the 2019 ASHE Pearson Award I first met Paul when I moved to Tennessee as the new FHWA Division Administrator As TDOT’s Chief Engineer, Paul has demonstrated over his career at TDOT a dedication to public service, a drive to provide a high-quality transportation system for all users, and a focus on customer service and partnering with all stakeholders Beyond his duties at TDOT, Paul takes opportunities to give back to his alma mater, Tennessee Tech, to judge national civil engineering student competitions and to provide his expertise through collaborations with FHWA, AASHTO, ASHE and other national and international organizations Paul takes tremendous pride in sharing the great practices and partnerships in Tennessee with other public and private entities and bringing back what they have to share to ensure the overall success of the transportation industry in Tennessee For the reasons stated above, I recommend Paul Degges as the winner of the 2019 Robert E Pearson/Person of Year award Pamela M Kordenbrock Division Administrator FHWA – Tennessee Division American Society of Highway Engineers 2019 ROBERT E PEARSON PERSON OF THE YEAR AWARD February 14, 2019 Dear Mr Dutton, I am pleased to support the nomination for Paul Degges for the 2019 ASHE Robert E Pearson Person of the Year Award I have known and worked with Paul in the highway industry for over twenty-five years While working with Paul at the Tennessee Department of Transportation I have observed a steadfast commitment to improving the transportation infrastructure system for the users in the State of Tennessee He frequently shares his highway experience with other States and Countries He has traveled abroad on a number of occasions to understand and share highway practices in other countries He is a strong advocate for employees here at TDOT to serve on national highway committees and professional organizations such as ASHE Paul has a vast knowledge of the transportation profession and is often called to testify before legislative committees in Tennessee or in Congress He spends a significant amount of his personal time serving on national committees such as the AASHTO Committee on Highways and Streets Growing up, Paul achieved the rank of Eagle Scout and continues to enjoy outdoor activities such as hiking national landmarks including Half Dome in Yosemite National Park For the reasons stated above, I recommend Paul Degges for the 2019 ASHE Robert E Pearson Person of the Year Award Jeff Jones Assistant Chief Engineer of Design Tennessee Department of Transportation IMPACTS TO THE HIGHWAY INDUSTRY As Deputy Commissioner and Chief Engineer of the Tennessee Department of Transportation, Paul Degges oversees the design and implementation of the Department’s engineering projects He also is responsible for the activities of 11 divisions and regional offices Paul has overseen the awarding of more than 6,200 contracts with a construction value of more than $13 billion In addition to these responsibilities, Paul works closely with appointed and elected officials on the state and national level in formulating transportation policy American Society of Highway Engineers 2019 ROBERT E PEARSON PERSON OF THE YEAR AWARD February 14, 2019 CURRENT RESUME EMPLOYMENT Tennessee Department of Transportation (TDOT) June 1988 to Present April 2004-Present Deputy Commissioner and Chief Engineer  Oversees the design and implementation of all of TDOT’s highway engineering projects through the management of the activities of 11 divisions and regional offices Responsible for the work product of over 4,000 employees  Responsible for all aspects of the budgeting and operation of the State Highway System including Maintenance, Intelligent Transportation Systems, and Traffic Operations  Responsible for identification of projects to expand the capacity of the state highway network and management of all state and federal funds available for highway programs to the department and state & federal aid sub-recipients  Responsible for the implementation of the project development process including the development of plans, specifications, estimates, and construction oversight for various types of highway transportation projects across Tennessee  Responsible for the transportation component in economic development projects to retail and recruit private sector investment in Tennessee in consultation with the state economic development agency  Works closely with the Tennessee General Assembly in addressing legislative issues surrounding transportation facilities and initiatives  Works on the national level to develop transportation policy that supports transportation as a means to enhance the quality of life and economic prosperity for the people of the United States Other Positions with Tennessee Department of Transportation  2003-2004 Assistant Chief Engineer  2000-2003 Region Division Director  1998-2000 Assistant Director of Construction Division  1994-1998 Manager of Hydraulic Design Section, Structures  1988-1994 Engineering in Training – Various Positions  *1986-1987 College Seasonal with TDOT EDUCATION  TENNESSEE TECHNOLOGICAL UNIVERSITY, Cookeville, Tennessee Bachelors of Science, Civil Engineering – 1988 American Society of Highway Engineers 2019 ROBERT E PEARSON PERSON OF THE YEAR AWARD  THE UNIVERSITY OF TENNESSEE, Knoxville, Tennessee Tennessee Government Executive Institute – Certificate – 2006  LIPSCOMB UNIVERSITY, Nashville, Tennessee Spark Idea Center Leadership Institute – Certificate – 2015 February 14, 2019 BIOGRAPHY Paul D Degges Paul received his Bachelor of Science degree in Civil Engineering from Tennessee Technological University and is a licensed engineer Beginning his career with TDOT in 1988, Paul has worked within several disciplines including field construction, roadway design, information systems, hydraulic design, and structures Paul has served in many roles including Assistant Director of Construction, Director of Region (Nashville), and as Transportation Administrator, which supports the Chief Engineer Paul has served as Deputy Commissioner and Chief Engineer since April 2004 Paul currently serves as vice chairman of the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO) Standing Committee on Highways The committee is responsible for developing all major engineering standards and policies for the highway program, as well as investigating, studying and reporting on all engineering activities and developments He’s also an active member of multiple AASHTO and FHWA committees Paul and his wife, Saundra, have two children and one grandson and currently reside in Brentwood, Tennessee American Society of Highway Engineers 2019 ROBERT E PEARSON PERSON OF THE YEAR AWARD PHOTOGRAPH February 14, 2019