TDOT Commissioner History

Six-Commissioner Structure, 1915-1919

Ex-Officio members:  Tom C. Rye, Governor;  A.H. Purdue, State Geologist;  Charles, E. Ferris, Dean of Engineering, University of Tennessee
Appointed:  Authur Crownover, Charles, W. Williams, William H. Crox (succeeded by C.  F. Milburn)

Three-Commissioner Structure, 1919-1923

W.P. Moore, W.W. House, W.T. Testerman

Single Commissioner Structure, 1923-present

J.G. Creveling, Jr. , January, 1923 to October 21, 1925
C.N. Bass, October 21, 1925 to February 16, 1928
Harry S. Berry, February 16, 1928 to February 27, 1929
R. H. Baker, February 27, 1929 to January 17, 1933
F.W. Webster, January 17, 1933 to December 11, 1934
H.S. Walters, December 11, 1934 to September 20, 1935
Briggs Smith, September 20, 1935 to January 18, 1937
M.O. Allen, January 18, 1937 to January 11, 1939
C.W. Phillips, January 11, 1939 to January 16, 1949
E.W. Eggleston, January 16, 1949 to August 10, 1950
Charles Wayland, August 10, 1950 to September 1, 1951
C.W. Bond, September 1, 1951 to September 18, 1952
Herbert A. McKee, September 18, 1952 to January 15, 1953
W.M Leech, January 15, 1953 to November 15, 1958
Herbert M. Bates, November 15, 1958 to January 19, 1959
D.W. Moulton, January 19, 1959 to January 15, 1963
David M. Pack, January 15, 1963 to January 16, 1967
E.W. Speight, January 16, 1967 to January 16, 1971
Robert F. Smith, January 16, 1971 to January 18, 1975
Eddie L. Shaw, January 18, 1975 to January 20, 1979
William B. Sansom, January 20, 1979 to June 30, 1981
Robert E. Farris, July 1, 1981 to October 31, 1985
Dale R. Kelley, November 1, 1985 to January 17, 1987
Jimmy M. Evans, January 17, 1987 December 7, 1992 (died in office)
Carl Johnson, December 28, 1992 to October 21, 1994
Carl Wood, Acting Commissioner, October 21, 1994 to January 21, 1995
J. Bruce Saltsman, January 21, 1995 to January 18, 2003
Gerald F. Nicely, January 18, 2003 to January 15, 2011
John C. Schroer, January 15, 2011 to January 15, 2019
Clay Bright, January 19, 2019 - November 3, 2021
Joe Galbato, November 4, 2021 - June 14, 2022 (interim)
Butch Eley, June 15, 2022 - Present