MnDOT Commissioner Takes Reins of Midwest States’ Transportation Group

Minnesota Department of Transportation Commissioner Charlie Zelle took the gavel Aug. 12 as president of the Mid-America Association of Transportation Officials, at MAASTO’s annual convention in Overland Park, Kan.

 Zelle

MAASTO also selected Illinois Transportation Secretary Randall Blankenhorn as vice president for the coming year.

“It’s a great honor to be able to lead this important organization,” Zelle said. “I look forward to the coming year and working with member states to improve and promote transportation and transportation service across the Midwest.”

Zelle, who has been the vice chair of MAASTO for the past year, has led MnDOT since 2013.

At MAASTO he follows Mike King, the Kansas transportation secretary, who was the association’s past-year president.

MAASTO’s goal is to foster the development, operation and maintenance of an integrated and balanced transportation system that adequately serves the transportation needs of the 10 member states. Those states are: Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Ohio and Wisconsin.

MAASTO is one of four regional state DOT organizations that work with the American Association of State Highway Transportation Officials.