CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Gov. Jim Justice appointed Byrd E. White, III as Secretary of the West Virginia Department of Transportation, earlier this week.

He also appointed Jimmy Wriston, P.E. as Acting Commissioner of the West Virginia Division of Highways. Wriston will also serve as Deputy Secretary of the West Virginia Department of Transportation.

“It is my number one priority to get all our roads across the state in top shape as quickly as is reasonable and feasible to do,” Justice said. “Byrd completely understands my directive and I am confident that he will carry this out professionally and efficiently.”

White brings a diverse career in both the public and private sectors to Gov. Justice’s Cabinet, including several years of leadership with one of the largest roadway construction companies in the United States.

Beginning in 2001, White served as Executive Vice President of The Vecellio Group, gathering extensive road construction and management experience from interstate projects to smaller roadways, before he was named President of one of The Vecellio Group’s subsidiaries; Ranger Construction – South, a role he held until 2004.

White resigned from his position as a Raleigh County Commissioner effective Friday, March 22, 2019. He had served on the commission since 2015.

Prior to his time with the Raleigh County Commission, White also worked in the position of Recorder-Treasurer for the City of Beckley, WV. A long-time certified public accountant, White also brings financial, tax, planning and operations experience.

Wriston steps into this leadership role with 24 years of experience at the West Virginia Department of Transportation under his belt. For the past 12 years, Wriston has served as the department’s Chief Transportation Engineer and Special Program Manager.

“Jimmy is another person I’m going to rely on to get all our roads across the state in top shape,” Gov. Justice said. “He is the kind of person that gets the job done, plain and simple. He knows what needs fixed and I’m confident he’ll make sure it gets done fast and it gets done right.”

Wriston began his career at the WVDOT in September 1996, working for the Bridge Department for District 9 in Lewisburg, WV. He moved to the Engineering Division in 2004 as a project manager before becoming a Regional Engineer in 2005.

The appointments are effective immediately.