The Oklahoma Department of Transportation has announced T.J. Dill as chief engineer and Steven Gauthe as state maintenance engineer, underscoring the agency's dedication to strong leadership as it works to enhance infrastructure management and service delivery.
Dill will serve alongside Brian Taylor, the current ODOT chief engineer in a co-capacity until Taylor’s retirement this coming summer. In this senior position, he will oversee all statewide engineering and operations activities.
A native Oklahoman, Dill earned his bachelor’s degree in civil engineering at Oklahoma State University in 2011. Dill's career at ODOT began part-time as a drafting technician before he transitioned to a full-time role as an Engineer in Training. He then became the resident engineer in Enid in 2013 and in Yukon in 2015, where he played a vital role in significant projects, including the I-40 Crosstown reconstruction and the Belle Isle Bridge rehabilitation. In 2017, Dill was promoted to assistant district engineer for District 4, where he oversaw maintenance and construction efforts in the Oklahoma City metro area. Since 2020, he served as the Director of Construction, Chief Engineer and Deputy Director at the Oklahoma Turnpike Authority.
In addition to Dill's appointment, ODOT has named Steven Gauthe as state maintenance engineer. Gauthe will be responsible for implementing cost-effective preventive maintenance, upgrades and repair strategies to ensure the integrity of highways, bridges and roadside facilities. He will also oversee all operations related to snow and ice removal during winter weather.
From Louisiana, Gauthe began his career at ODOT in 2017, serving as the bridge and local government engineer in District 4 in Perry from 2017 to 2018. He then took on the role of assistant division engineer in the Environmental Programs Division from 2018 to 2020. Gauthe returned to District 4 as the bridge and local government engineer until November 2024.
T.J. Dill named chief engineer for the Oklahoma Department of Transportation.
Steven Gauthe named state maintenance director for the Oklahoma Department of Transportation.
