RELEASE: CONTACT:

IMMEDIATE Donna Purcell Mayes (804) 786-2717 donna.mayes@VDOT.Virginia.gov Cell (804) 317-7113

CO-0733a July 25, 2007

VDOT NAMES TWO ACTING DISTRICT ADMINISTRATORS
Northern Virginia and Culpeper districts to be led by VDOT veterans

RICHMOND – Effective July 30, two Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) engineers with more than 50 years’ experience between them will lead two VDOT districts until one district’s administrator position is filled after a nationwide search.

Morteza Salehi, currently VDOT’s Culpeper District administrator, has been named acting Northern Virginia District administrator, succeeding Dennis C. Morrison. Morrison is retiring in August after 31 years with the department. Recruitment efforts to fill Morrison’s position will be carried out across the country.

Quintin D. Elliott, VDOT’s Asset Management division administrator since 2002, will serve as acting Culpeper District administrator while Salehi is in Northern Virginia.

“VDOT’s district administrators are fully responsible for planning, building and maintaining a safe, efficient state transportation system in their districts, which cover several counties,” VDOT Commissioner David S. Ekern, P.E. said. “Morteza and Quintin bring abundant hands-on field experience and a commitment to excellent public service to the table. The citizens in both districts will be well-served by these professionals while we recruit for Dennis’s successor.”

Before becoming Culpeper District administrator in 2004, Salehi served as the assistant Northern Virginia District administrator for maintenance and operations for six years and as the assistant district administrator for maintenance in the four preceding years. He joined VDOT’s Northern Virginia District as a senior engineer in 1989. From 1985 until 1989, he was a research associate at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

Before immigrating to the United States, Salehi worked for the government of Iran. He took a leading role in the coordination and development of Iran’s transportation programs. Earlier he was an associate professor of civil engineering at Tehran University.

Elliott, who joined VDOT as an engineer trainee in 1985, served as assistant resident engineer in VDOT’s Franklin and Williamsburg residencies and was promoted to Williamsburg resident engineer in 1991. In 2001, he was promoted to special assistant to the assistant commissioner for operations, then to Asset Management Division administrator in 2002.

Elliott is a lieutenant colonel in the Virginia Air National Guard and commander of the 192nd Civil Engineering Squadron.

(END)