Study Committee Biographical Information
C. Michael Walton, Chair, is Professor of Civil Engineering and holds the Ernest H. Cockrell Centennial Chair in Engineering at The University of Texas at Austin. In addition, he has a joint academic appointment in the Lyndon B. Johnson School of Public Affairs. He has participated in many National Research Council (NRC) activities, and served as Chairman of the Executive Committee of the Transportation Research Board (TRB). Dr. Walton is a founding member of the Intelligent Transportation Society of America (ITS America) and is a fellow of the American Society of Civil Engineers and the Institute of Transportation Engineers. He is a registered professional engineer. He holds a bachelor of science degree in civil engineering from the Virginia Military Institute and master’s and Ph.D. degrees in civil engineering– transportation from North Carolina State University. He is currently Chairman of the Research and Technology Coordinating Committee, a TRB committee that performs a continuing review of the research and technology programs of the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA). Dr. Walton was elected to the National Academy of Engineering (NAE) in 1993.
Bradley L. Mallory, Vice Chair, has been Secretary of the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation since 1995. He previously served as counsel to the law firm of Dechert Price & Rhoads. From 1977 to 1989, he held a variety of positions at the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation, including Director of Strategic Planning and first Deputy Secretary for Aviation, Rail Freight, and Ports and Waterways. Mr. Mallory is a graduate of Dickinson College and the Dickinson School of Law. He is currently Vice President of the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO).
Joel D. Anderson has been Executive Vice President of the California Trucking Association (CTA) since 1992. He joined the association in 1977
as a regulatory specialist. He subsequently served as Assistant Executive Vice President of Industry Economic Development and was responsible for the association’s research, educational, and regulatory activities. Before joining CTA, he was an economist for the California Public Utilities Commission. Mr. Anderson holds a bachelor of arts degree in economics from the University of California, Los Angeles, and has a college teaching credential in transportation and logistics. He is a member of TRB’s Research and Technology Coordinating Committee.
E. Dean Carlson has been Secretary of the Kansas Department of Transportation since 1995. He is currently President of AASHTO. Mr. Carlson began his career at FHWA (then the Bureau of Public Roads) in 1958 and held positions in engineering, planning and research, and safety in a variety of locations before assuming duties as the agency’s Region 7 Administrator in Kansas City in 1985. He returned to Washington as FHWA’s Associate Administrator for Engineering and Program Development in 1989 and was named Executive Director in 1990, a position he held until 1994. Mr. Carlson graduated from the University of Nebraska in 1958 with a bachelor of science degree in civil engineering and did postgraduate work at the University of Texas from 1969 to 1971. He is currently Vice Chairman of the TRB Executive Committee. He was elected to NAE in 2001.
Frank L. Danchetz has served as Chief Engineer of the Georgia Department of Transportation since 1993. Previously he held several other positions at the Georgia Department of Transportation, including Head of the Office of Environment and Location and Director of Planning and Programming. He is a registered professional engineer in Georgia, Vice Chair of the AASHTO Standing Committee on Highways, and a member of the AASHTO Standing Committee on Research. He received a bachelor of civil engineering degree from the Georgia Institute of Technology. Mr. Danchetz is a current member of TRB’s Research and Technology Coordinating Committee.
Henry E. Dittmar is currently President and Chief Executive Officer of the Great American Station Foundation. Prior to assuming this position he was Director for the Transportation and Quality of Life Campaign at the Surface Transportation Policy Project (STPP). Previously, he was Director of STPP. He has also served as Manager of Legislation and Finance for the Metropolitan Transportation Commission in Oakland, California, and as Director of
the Santa Monica Airport. Mr. Dittmar holds a bachelor of science degree from Northwestern University and a master of arts degree from The University of Texas at Austin, where he also worked as a research associate in the Center for Transportation Research. He has been active on several AASHTO and TRB committees, including the Research and Technology Coordinating Committee. Mr. Dittmar is a strong spokesman on environmental issues related to transportation.
Francis B. Francois is currently a private consultant. He retired in February 1999 after 18 years as Executive Director of AASHTO. Previously he was a member of the County Council of Prince George’s County, Maryland, an elected position in which he was involved in transportation, public works, environmental, and community development issues. As a registered patent attorney, he engaged actively in a patent and trademark law practice before joining AASHTO. Mr. Francois has been very active in local government associations. In his capacity as AASHTO Executive Director, he was a supporter of and contributor to many TRB activities, including the TRB Executive Committee and the Strategic Highway Research Program. Mr. Francois holds a bachelor of science in engineering degree from Iowa State University and a law degree from The George Washington University. He was elected to NAE in 1999.
David R. Gehr is Director of Strategic Planning for Parsons Brinckerhoff, Inc. Prior to assuming this position, he had held several positions at the Virginia Department of Transportation since 1971, including Director of Operations, Assistant Chief Engineer, and Assistant Commissioner for Operations; in 1994 he assumed the position of Commissioner. Mr. Gehr has served in the United States Army. He has also served on the Board of Directors of ITS America and as Chairman of the I-95 Corridor Coalition. He received a bachelor of science degree in civil engineering from the Virginia Military Institute and has done graduate work in transportation planning and in systems engineering.
Susan Martinovich has been Assistant Director/Chief Engineer at the Nevada Department of Transportation since 1996. Her previous experience with the Nevada Department of Transportation has included structural design of bridges and project development and management responsibilities in roadway design. She serves on the AASHTO Standing Committee on
Highways and Standing Committee on Highway Traffic Safety and is Vice Chair of the Subcommittee for Design. Ms. Martinovich holds a bachelor of science degree in civil engineering from the University of Nevada at Reno. She is a registered professional engineer in Nevada and California. She serves on the National Cooperative Highway Research Program panel for the Innovations Deserving Exploratory Analysis program.
Herbert H. Richardson is Director of the Texas Transportation Institute, Associate Vice Chancellor for Engineering for the Texas A&M University System, and Professor Emeritus of Mechanical Engineering at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). His previous academic experience includes serving as Director of the Texas Engineering Experiment Station, Dean of Engineering at Texas A&M University, Chancellor of Engineering for the Texas A&M University System, and Head of the Mechanical Engineering Department at MIT; he has held professorial appointments at both universities. Dr. Richardson’s professional experience also includes private-sector research, consulting, and service as Chief Scientist in the Office of the Secretary, U.S. Department of Transportation. He received bachelor’s, master’s, and doctor of science degrees in mechanical engineering from MIT. He is a registered professional engineer in Texas and Massachusetts. He has participated in many NAE and NRC activities, including the NAE Council and the TRB Executive Committee. Dr. Richardson was elected to NAE in 1980.
Henry G. Schwartz, Jr., is Chairman of Sverdrup Civil, Inc., directing the transportation, public works, and environmental activities of this national engineering and construction firm. A registered professional engineer, Dr. Schwartz joined Sverdrup Corporation in 1966 and was named President of Sverdrup Civil, Inc., in 1993. His career has focused on civil and environmental research, planning, design, and project management. Dr. Schwartz serves on the Advisory Boards for Carnegie Mellon University, Washington University (St. Louis), The University of Texas, and the Academy of Science of St. Louis Board of Directors. He is Founding Chairman of the Water Environment Research Foundation and has served as President of the Water Environment Federation and as a member of the Civil Engineering Research Foundation Board of Directors. Dr. Schwartz currently is President of the American Society of Civil Engineers. He received a Ph.D. from the California Institute of Technology and master of science and bachelor of science
degrees from Washington University; he also attended Princeton University and Columbia University. He was elected to NAE in 1997.
Thomas R. Warne is President and founder of Tom Warne and Associates, a management and marketing consulting firm. From 1995 to 2001 he was Executive Director of the Utah Department of Transportation. Prior to joining the Utah Department of Transportation, he spent 12 years with the Arizona Department of Transportation, where he served as Deputy Director and Chief Operating Officer. Mr. Warne has served as President of AASHTO. He has also served in the United States Army Corps of Engineers. Mr. Warne received an undergraduate degree in civil engineering from Brigham Young University and holds a master’s degree in civil engineering from Arizona State University. He is a registered professional engineer and author of the book Partnering for Success.
David K. Willis is President and Chief Executive Officer of the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety, an independent, publicly funded affiliate of the American Automobile Association. Before joining the AAA Foundation, he was Senior Vice President and Chief Operating Officer of the ATA Foundation, Inc., a public policy research organization affiliated with the American Trucking Associations, Inc. Earlier he managed the public policy and analysis and statistical staffs of the former Motor Vehicle Manufacturers Association. Mr. Willis is a member of the Research and Technology Coordinating Committee and of TRB’s Committee on Safe Mobility of Older Persons. He did his undergraduate work at Stanford University and holds master’s degrees from the University of California, Los Angeles (public administration), and the University of California, Berkeley (public policy).
