NYSDOT Commissioner Appoints New Capital Region Director

ALBANY, NY (07/26/2012)(readMedia)-- New York State Department of Transportation (NYSDOT) Commissioner Joan McDonald today announced the appointment of Sam Zhou as Acting Regional Director for the Capital District. Zhou will be in charge of the development and implementation of capital construction projects and Department programs, oversee road and bridge maintenance operations and manage more than 800 employees. The Capital District region serves Albany, Essex, Greene, Rensselaer, Saratoga, Schenectady, Warren and Washington counties.

"I am confident that Sam's strong technical background, experience and strength in bringing employees together to accomplish great tasks will make him an exceptional Regional Director," Commissioner McDonald said. "I would like to thank Mary Ivey for her decades of dedicated services to the Department and her leadership in the Capital Region, and I wish her well in future endeavors."

Ivey is retiring from the position, which she held since May 2009.

Zhou has been with the Department for nearly 20 years, beginning in 1993 as a project engineer in design. He advanced through the Office of Design, ultimately becoming the Deputy Director of the Design Quality Assurance Bureau, responsible for managing the headquarters' support and approval teams to several statewide significant projects, including the Route 9A, Tappan Zee Bridge EIS study, Alexander Hamilton Bridge and Moynihan Station projects.

In 2007, Zhou was appointed Executive Assistant, serving three commissioners during his tenure. He represented the commissioners in decision-making on critical subjects by working with the Executive Chamber, legislative staff, Division Directors, Regional Directors and their staffs, as well as leading cross-functional teams to develop and complete Department initiatives and projects. Since December 2011, Zhou has played a key role in the successful development and delivery of the NY Works program for the Department.

Zhou earned an M.S. in Civil Engineering from the University of Cincinnati and an M.B.A. from SUNY Albany's School of Business. He serves on many national transportation task forces and panels, providing technical expertise at the national level. He lives in Loudonville, Albany County, with his wife and two daughters.

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