Ray LaHood

Ray LaHood is the former U.S. Department of Transportation Secretary, and has worked for more than 30 years in public service and has extensive experience on major national policy issues, among them transportation and infrastructure. He served as the 16th Department of Transportation Secretary from 2009 to 2013 and quickly became known as a bipartisan leader and skilled conciliator in a highly partisan environment. LaHood’s tenure was marked by landmark efforts to improve safety in every mode of transportation, from aviation and rail to pipelines and automobiles. Under his leadership, improvements to America’s infrastructure included building or replacing 350,000 miles of highway, repairing 20,000 bridges and renewing or constructing 6,000 miles of rail track. LaHood also achieved more stringent fuel efficiency requirements from automakers, took steps to address airline pilot fatigue and turned the problem of distracted driving into a national concern. Before heading the U.S. Department of Transportation, LaHood served from 1995 to 2009 in the U.S. House of Representatives on behalf of the 18th District of Illinois and also served on various House committees, among them the House Appropriations Committee and the House Intelligence Committee. He is currently a senior policy adviser for the global law firm DLA Piper.