The Research and Development Executive Committee (RDEC) provides guidance and oversight of the Research Unit’s administration of the Department’s State Planning and Research (SPR) program in the following ways: providing fiscal accountability, reviewing and prioritizing research topics for development as research projects, monitoring progress of on-going studies, and tracking implementation of results from completed studies.  The Research Unit supports RDEC in these efforts through presentations of ongoing and completed projects at biannual Committee meetings.

Membership is composed of high-level managers from key divisions of the Department, two District Engineering Administrators, and representatives from the Office of Materials and Research and Federal Highway Administration (FHWA). The makeup and organization of the Committee is shown below.

 

Committee Organization Chart

Rob Perry, Deputy Secretary for Engineering, Chair
Leah Quattlebaum, Deputy Secretary for Planning
Jennifer Necker, Deputy Secretary for Intermodal and Freight Programs
Karl McCottry, Deputy Secretary for Finance and Administration
Andy Leaphart, Chief Engineer for Operations
Robbie Isgett, Chief Engineer of Alternate Delivery and Construction
John Boylston, Chief Engineer for Project Delivery
Jim Remsey, Chief Information Officer
Darrin Player, Chief Procurement Officer
Merrill Zwanka, Materials and Research Engineer
Mark Pleasant, FHWA Representative
The Committee meets semiannually, in the winter and summer.