AASHTO Journal, 10 April 2015
The New Hampshire Department of Transportation is entering another transition this month, as Acting Commissioner David Jeff Brillhart retires April 16 and Bill Cass is poised to step in while the search continues for a permanent department chief.
BrillhartBrillhart, who has long been the NHDOT assistant commissioner and chief engineer, also took over by state law as acting CEO of the department in December, when Chris Clement left the commissioner post to join the University of New Hampshire as vice president of finance and administration.
CassBrillhart has worked for the state government for 37 years, and been the NHDOT assistant commissioner since 2002.
Cass has been the department’s director of project development since 2007.
In March, Gov. Maggie Hassan nominated Cass to replace Jeff Brillhart as assistant commissioner, effective April 16. New Hampshire’s five-member Executive Council unanimously approved that nomination April 8, so he is approved to move into that position as Brillhart leaves.
That action means, again under state law, that Cass will become acting commissioner in the absence of a commissioner.