CCEE alum and advisory board member Joey Hopkins (BSCE Construction Option 1989) was tapped as the new North Carolina Department of Transportation (NCDOT) Secretary by N.C. Gov. Roy Cooper. Hopkins succeeds Eric Boyette, who is retiring from state government after 27 years of service. Hopkins currently serves as NCDOT Chief Operating Officer and will begin his new appointment October 1.
“Secretary Boyette has served North Carolina with distinction during my term as governor, first as Secretary of the Department of Information Technology and now as Secretary of Transportation, and I’m deeply grateful for his hard work and commitment to the people of our state,” Cooper said. “I’m confident that Joey Hopkins will continue this outstanding work as Secretary of the Department of Transportation when he steps into this new role a few weeks from now.”
“I’m grateful to Governor Cooper for asking me to take on this role and continue my career at NCDOT,” Hopkins said. “I’m really looking forward to this opportunity and the chance to continue the great work with all our partners across the state. I’m also grateful to Secretary Eric Boyette for his leadership and his friendship over many years. He devoted 27 years of his life to state government and was able to accomplish a great deal and really help advance transportation in North Carolina.”
Hopkins has worked at NCDOT for more than 30 years in a variety of roles. As chief operating officer, Hopkins oversees the Division of Highways, Ferry Division, Aviation Division, Rail Division, the Integrated Mobility Division, Division of Planning & Programming, and the Communications Office. As deputy chief engineer, he managed the Division of Planning and Programming, the Transportation Planning Division and the Regional Accountants. He also previously served as division engineer, deputy division engineer, division maintenance engineer and division operations engineer in Division 5.
He was a member of NCDOT’s Transformation Management Team and was instrumental in developing the Strategic Prioritization Process, the forerunner of the Strategic Mobility Formula. This data driven process is used to help prioritize transportation projects in North Carolina. The Strategic Transportation Investments Law passed in 2013 allows NCDOT to use existing funding more efficiently and effectively to enhance North Carolina’s infrastructure, while supporting economic growth, job creation and improved quality of life.
“I’m thankful for the opportunity to continue working at a department full of dedicated public servants who strive each day to make our state a better place,” Hopkins said. “Throughout my career, I’ve been fortunate to work with a talented team, made many great friends, helped the department overcome challenges and ultimately helped to improve transportation and mobility for communities across North Carolina.
“Over the last few years, the department has worked hard to strengthen our finances, improve project delivery and build stronger relationships with the communities we serve. I’d like to continue prioritizing those areas, while also focusing on:
- Improving safety and mobility, and working with our local partners to deliver a transportation system that meets the needs of travelers across all modes;
- Recruiting and developing a workforce that is more reflective of our population so we can better meet the diverse demands of our state;
- Ensuring equitable access to opportunities and creating a more diverse and inclusive culture within the department; and
- Working with our partners to prepare North Carolina for a clean transportation future and leading the state’s effort to build out electric charging infrastructure so communities can access new electric vehicle technologies.”