Gary Ridley

Gary Milo Ridley, PE (September 29, 1945 – December 21, 2022) was an American engineer and civil servant from the state of Oklahoma most notable for concurrently serving as the state's Secretary of Transportation, Director of the Department of Transportation, and the Director of the Oklahoma Turnpike Authority between 2009 and 2013.

He served as Oklahoma Secretary of Transportation between 2009 and 2017, after being appointed by Governor of Oklahoma Brad Henry in 2009 and then retained by Governor Mary Fallin in 2011. In addition, Ridley also served concurrently as both the Director of the Oklahoma Department of Transportation (2001–2013) and the Director of the Oklahoma Turnpike Authority (2009–2013). He served a total of 48 years working for the state of Oklahoma.

Early life and education Ridley was a native of Chicago, Illinois, and a registered professional engineer.

Career Department of Transportation Ridley joined the Oklahoma Department of Transportation in 1965, when he started as an equipment operator. He was promoted to a maintenance superintendent position in Kingfisher, Oklahoma, in 1970 and an then became a traffic superintendent in Perry, Oklahoma, in 1979. In 1983 he became field maintenance engineer at Perry, then advanced to Division Five Maintenance Engineer at Clinton, Oklahoma in 1986. He became Division Engineer at Clinton in 1995.

Turnpike Authority In October, 2009, former Transportation Secretary Phil Tomlinson retired as Director of the Oklahoma Turnpike Authority effective November 1, 2009. The Authority then appointed Secretary Ridley to succeed Tomlinson as Director. With his appointment as Turnpike Director, Ridley is the first person to serve concurrently as Transportation Secretary, Transportation Department Director and Turnpike Authority Director since Neal A. McCaleb in 1999 under Governor Frank Keating. Ridley retired as Director of OTA the same day that he retired from ODOT, March 31, 2013. As Transportation Secretary, Ridley has supervision over all state transportation initiatives and the entities charged with implementing them, including the Oklahoma Department of Transportation, the Oklahoma Transportation Authority, the Oklahoma Aeronautics Commission, the Oklahoma Space Industry Development Authority and all Port Authorities within the state.

During the Henry administration, Ridley served as Transportation Secretary concurrently with his position as Transportation Department Director, which gave him direct control over that department.

Fallin Administration On November 29, 2010, Governor-elect Mary Fallin announced that she would retain Ridley as Secretary of Transportation in her Administration. Fallin also retained Ridley as the Director of both the Department of Transportation and the Turnpike Authority.

Personal life He and his wife, Eula, had two children, Daphne and Joe.