BATON ROUGE, La. – Department of Transportation and Development Interim Secretary Sherri LeBas announced today that Richard Savoie has been appointed as DOTD's Chief Engineer. 

"Richard has served the department with distinction, and I know he will continue to do so as he transitions into his new duties and responsibilities," LeBas said. "His leadership, administrative abilities and communication skills will go a long way in moving DOTD forward."

Savoie has 30 years of experience with the department, most recently serving as the Deputy Chief Engineer. He holds a bachelor’s degree in civil engineering from McNeese State University. Originally from St. Landry Parish, Savoie first moved to Baton Rouge in 1980, when he accepted a position in DOTD's road design section.

In 2007, Gov. Kathleen Babineaux Blanco appointed Savoie to serve on the Louisiana Professional Engineering and Land Surveying Board, the 11-member board that oversees the engineering and surveying professions. Savoie is also a member of the Louisiana Engineering Society, the National Society of Professional Engineers, the Louisiana Society of Professional Engineers in Civil Service, and the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials.

"It is humbling to be a part of this organization and to have had such good staffers who have helped me get to this point," Savoie said. "As Chief Engineer, I want to continue working together with our industry partners as we deliver the department's program."

As the engineering leader of DOTD, the Chief Engineer provides guidance to a staff of more than 600 engineers, engineering technicians and support staff, while promoting innovation, continuous improvement and efficient use of resources. The Chief Engineer is responsible for establishing engineering standards, policies and procedures that guide project delivery, construction, and preservation of all transportation-related projects and systems. In addition, the Chief Engineer is accountable for the on-time and on-budget delivery of the DOTD Highway Priority Program.