U.S. Transportation Secretary Norman Y. Mineta this week welcomed Arizonan Mary Peters as the new administrator for the U.S. Department of Transportation''s Federal Highway Administration (FHWA). The Senate confirmed Peters on Sept. 26, and she was sworn in Oct. 2.
Citing Peters'' long experience as a top state transportation official and her proven record of leadership and managerial skills, Mineta said she will help "to lead our continuing efforts to improve safety and security, reduce congestion and enhance mobility on our nation''s highways."
Peters, who rose through the ranks to become the leader of the Arizona Department of Transportation, is now the top highway official as the 15th administrator of the FHWA.
"I am honored to be selected by President Bush and privileged to join the strong team that Secretary Mineta has assembled at USDOT," Peters said. "Working with our state and local partners, all of us at FHWA will continue our efforts to develop and maintain a strong, safe and modern transportation network, which is essential to America''s security and prosperity in the 21st century."
In addition to her work in Arizona, Peters has been involved in transportation issues at the national level. She recently chaired the Standing Committee on Planning and the Asset Management Task Force for the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO) and hosted the 2001 meeting of the Western Association of State Highway Transportation Officials.
Peters, a fourth-generation, native Arizonan, holds a bachelor''s degree from the University of Phoenix and attended Harvard University''s John F. Kennedy School of Government Program for State and Local Government Executives.
By Sandy Smith