AASHTO names Trombino president, Bernhardt VP

The American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO) yesterday elected Paul Trombino III president and David Bernhardt vice president.

Trombino serves as director of the Iowa Department of Transportation, while Bernhardt is commissioner of the Maine Department of Transportation, according to an AASHTO press release.

As president of AASHTO, Trombino will work toward pursuing the association's policy priorities, including congressional action on a new surface transportation bill. Primarily, however, he'll focus his time on ensuring the association is "well positioned to serve its member departments," AASHTO spokespeople said.

Appointed head of the Iowa DOT in May 2011, Trombino is responsible for a $1 billion annual budget, about 3,000 employees, 9,400 miles of highways and 4,300 bridges. Iowa's transit, rail, air and motor vehicle services programs also fall under the agency's umbrella, association officials said.

Prior to joining the Iowa DOT, Trombino worked at the Wisconsin DOT for 17 years, where he held several roles, including director of the Bureau of Transit, Local Roads, Rails and Harbors.

Bernhardt was named commissioner of the Maine DOT in February 2011. He joined that agency in 1984 and has held several positions over the years.