WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Senator John Boozman (R-AR) recognized Arkansas Highway and Transportation Department Director Dan Flowers for his service and dedication to the state. 

Flowers, the longest serving CEO of any state transportation agency in the country, announced his retirement in June. Tomorrow is his final day on the department payroll. 

“As a new member on the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee I quickly learned how well respected Dan was not only in Arkansas, but across the country as witnesses would tell me of their appreciation for his work,” Boozman included in his statement in the Congressional Record, the document that reflects the official proceedings of Congress. 

The following are the full remarks submitted by Boozman in the Congressional Record. 

Mr. President, I rise today to recognize the life and career of Dan Flowers who is retiring as director of the Arkansas Highway and Transportation Department after a lifetime of service and dedication to the state.

Dan Flowers began his career with the Arkansas Highway and Transportation Department more than 40 years ago after spending his summers in college as an employee in the Department’s Resident Engineer Office in his hometown of Batesville. He held this position for four years until he graduated in 1969 from the University of Arkansas at Fayetteville with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Civil Engineering. Enjoying his time with the Department, Dan went on to complete the engineering orientation program and was assigned as a Planning Engineer in the Planning & Research Division.  He has worked in a total of eight other engineering and management positions within the Department before being promoted to Director in 1994.
Dan Flowers has had many achievements d

uring his career as the Director and in announcing his retirement to his staff he was quick to point out the collaborative effort “we plan, we build, we maintain, and we manage- but the key word in all of that is “WE”.

Perhaps one of Dan’s greatest accomplishments was the 1999 Interstate repair program and one that he says was the most interesting. The five-year, $1 billion repair program overhauled the Arkansas Interstate system which included 54 projects and more than 350 miles of interstate. Dan has truly helped make Arkansas roads safer and his work has touched countless lives.
Not only was he active in transportation on a regional level but also highly active on a national level. As a new member on the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee I quickly learned how well respected Dan was not only in Arkansas, but across the country as witnesses would tell me of their appreciation for his work. He has served on numerous organizations from president of The Southeastern Association of State Highway & Transportation Officials and The American Association of State Highway and Transportation to Chairman of the American Association’s Special Committee on International Activities Coordination and prior to being president Dan served as Chairman of the Association’s Subcommittee on Design, Standing Committee on Highways, and as the Association’s Vice-President. 

Dan has also earned many accolades for his work. In 2001, the Arkansas Chapter of the Associated General Contractors presented Flowers with its most prestigious award, the Skill, Integrity, and Responsibility Award (SIR) for his outstanding contributions to the industry and in 2004 the University of Arkansas’ Department of Civil Engineering dedicated the “Dan Flowers Education and Training Facility.”

Mr. President, Dan has displayed dedication, perseverance and commitment to excellence. I appreciate his friendship and am grateful for his years of service and efforts devoted to the state of Arkansas.