Tom Warne Report, 30 November 2012
BISMARCK, N.D. – The head of North Dakota’s Department of Transportation is leaving his post at the agency where he has served since 1970. Francis Ziegler began as a temporary employee, and moved up through the ranks and was named director in 2006.
Ziegler has worked on thousands of miles of road, numerous projects and several new bridges.
“This bridge [Memorial Bridge in Bismarck] certainly ranks as one of the top, because I had personal involvement in this one. All the way from the environmental document through the construction of it, then I became director when we started building it, and then the fact that I got to push the button when we blew up the first segment of the old bridge sticks in my memory, that’s for sure,” he said.
Upon Ziegler’s retirement at the end of this month, he will be replaced by Grant Levi, who was named interim director through the upcoming legislative session.
Francis has served with distinction as the director of the North Dakota DOT. His vision and leadership have extended beyond the borders of his state. While he is a great engineer and leader, those of us who know him realize that he’s also a really nice guy. Best wishes to Francis in a well deserved retirement. Grant Levi is the logical choice to succeed Francis. He is well known and respected by his colleagues and will do well guiding North Dakota through some very challenging times. TW