STATE TRANSPORTATION ICON NEAL McCALEB POSTHOUMOUSLY PRESENTED GUARDIAN OF TRANSPORTATION

T.R.U.S.T

PRESS RELEASE January 28, 2025

OKLAHOMA CITY, OK, January 28, 2025 – Transportation Revenues Used Strictly for

Transportation (TRUST), an advocacy group dedicated to funding and restoring Oklahoma’s

surface transportation infrastructure, presented its ninth Guardian of Transportation award

posthumously to its former president, Neal McCaleb, during its Transportation Innovation Forum

held Tuesday at the Oklahoma History Center in Oklahoma City. McCaleb passed away January

7 at age 89.

McCaleb was a former state representative (1974-1982), Secretary of Transportation (1987-1991,

1995-2001) and Executive Director of the Oklahoma Department of Transportation (1995-2001)

and Oklahoma Turnpike Authority (1995-2001), and had led TRUST since its founding in 2006.

McCaleb, a civil engineer by trade and an expert in interstate highway and bridge design, was a

member of the Chickasaw Nation and also served as Assistant Secretary of the Interior for Indian

Affairs from 2001-2003 during the administration of former President George W. Bush.

Former Oklahoma Governor Frank Keating, TRUST co-chairman, said the award is presented to

an individual that exemplifies excellence in all areas of the transportation industry.

“Each occurrence when the Guardian of Transportation award is presented there are multiple

deserving individuals across Oklahoma who have invested their careers, personal time and

intellectual capital to the cause of advancing Oklahoma’s surface transportation infrastructure,”

said Keating. “Neal McCaleb certainly checks all those boxes and many more, and while I am

extremely sad that he is not with us today to accept this award, his spirit is and it is an honor that

members of his family are. Neal was truly an Oklahoma icon when it comes to not only the

betterment of our highways and bridges but the state as a whole. He was a very good friend and I

am honored that he served in my cabinet during my gubernatorial tenure. He is a most deserving

individual to bestow this award on.”

Over 175 TRUST members and transportation industry advocates attended the forum which

featured keynote remarks from Oklahoma Senate President Pro Tempore Lonnie Paxton and

Oklahoma Speaker of the House Kyle Hilbert. TRUST board member David Burrage, a former

member of the Oklahoma Transportation Commission, served as host.

Past recipients of the Guardian of Transportation award include the late Gary Ridley (former

Secretary of Transportation and ODOT/OTA Executive Director), former Governor George Nigh

(1979-1987), former state Representative Mark Liotta, the late Tom Love (TRUST founding

member), the late Jim Inhofe (former state legislator, Tulsa Mayor, U.S. Representative and U.S.

Senator), former Speaker of the House and current Corporation Commissioner Todd Hiett,

former Speaker of the House and Secretary of State Chris Benge and former Governor Mary

Fallin (2011-2019).

View the full article: RestoreTRUST.org