Francis G. Ziegler, P.E. Director, NDDOT

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Francis G. Ziegler currently serves as North Dakota's Director of Transportation. He had previously served as North Department of Transportation Director of the Office of Project Development.

Professional Experience:

Francis earned his Bachelor of Science degree in civil engineering from the North Dakota State University in 1970. Francis has worked for the Department of Transportation since 1970. During his career, Francis has served the state of North Dakota in a number of capacities, including Director of the Office of Project Development, West Region Engineer, Assistant Chief Engineer (Operations), Assistant Construction Engineer, Construction Engineer, and Project and Resident Engineer.

Francis is a Professional Engineer with a background in field construction, statewide operations (construction and maintenance), planning and programming of projects, budget, environmental document preparation, and plan development.

Francis has also served on a number of civic organizations. He has been president of the Bismarck Park Board, the Bismarck Recreation Council, and the Ronald McDonald House Board. He is a member of the American Society of Highway Engineers and the National Society of Professional Engineers.

Francis is a native of Zeeland, North Dakota. He and his wife Jan, are residents of Bismarck; they have four children, and nine grandchildren.

Grant Levi, P.E. Deputy Director for Engineering:

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Grant Levi is the deputy director of engineering for the North Dakota Department of Transportation (NDDOT). The duties of the office include oversight of three offices: Operations, Transportation Programs, and Project development. These offices contain all seven engineering divisions. In addition, the deputy director for engineering oversees the NDDOT’s eight districts, which include 68 individual maintenance sections. The deputy director of engineering working with his management team, oversees the NDDOT’s planning, pre-construction, construction, and maintenance programs.

Professional Experience:

Grant earned a bachelor of science degree in civil engineering from North Dakota State University in 1982. He has worked for the North Dakota Department of Transportation since 1980, holding positions in the Valley City District, the Fargo District, and at the central office in Bismarck. Grant was promoted to deputy director for engineering in April of 1999.

Grant is a certified professional engineer trained in planning, programming, and pre-construction management. He currently serves on the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO) standing committees for Highways and for Joint Development, as well as various AASHTO task forces that deal with construction and maintenance issues.

Grant is a native of Zeeland, North Dakota. He and his wife, Patty, are residents of Bismarck; they have three children.

Tim Horner, P.E. NDDOT Deputy Director for Business Support

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Tim Horner serves as the North Dakota Department of Transportation’s Deputy Director for Business Support. His duties include the oversight of six divisions including: Financial Management, Human Resources, Legal, Communications, Information Technology, State Fleet Services and Aviation Services.

Professional Experience:

Tim has a Bachelor of Science Degree in Civil Engineering from North Dakota State University, Fargo and a Masters Degree in Public Administration from the University of North Dakota in Grand Forks. He has worked for the North Dakota Department of Transportation (NDDOT) since 1978. In that time he has worked in several areas including: construction, bridge design, pavement design, local government, transportation planning, transit urban project development and project scheduling.

Tim is a Registered Professional Engineer in the state of North Dakota and currently serves on the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO) Standing Committee on Quality, as well as various AASHTO task forces that deal with finance and legislative issues.

Tim is a native of Napoleon, North Dakota. He and his wife Gail and three children reside in Bismarck.

Linda Butts, NDDOT Deputy Director for Driver and Vehicle Services

Linda Butts is the Deputy Director for Driver and Vehicle Services. She currently oversees the Motor Vehicle and Drivers License & Traffic Safety Divisions at the North Dakota Department of Transportation. Besides overseeing these two divisions, she works extensively on the Enhanced Drivers License and REAL ID legislation and Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative.

Professional experience

She previously served the state from 2000-2006 as Director of the Economic Development and Finance Division at the Department of Commerce where she developed several new economic development programs, and served on numerous boards and commissions. She has extensive experience in business management and economic development. Butts was one of 17 people nationwide appointed by Secretary of Commerce Carlos Gutierrez to serve on a federal committee, chairing one of three subcommittees. The committee prepared a 21st Century Economic Development Policy report for the Secretary. In 2005, she was named North Dakota’s Small Business Administration “Women in Business Champion of the Year.”

While in the private sector, she owned her own business which was twice named Outstanding Woman Owned business in North Dakota. Linda is a Certified Public Accountant and is a member of the North Dakota Society of CPA’s and the Bismarck Rotary Club.

Butts has a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Mathematics from North Dakota State University, and an Accounting Degree from the University of North Dakota.

She is a native of New England, North Dakota. She and her husband, Alan, are residents of Bismarck and have two children.