Butler, Zippay Working to Continue Strengthening ODOT-Contractor Partnership
From overseeing construction personnel, to managing budgets and schedules, to being relied on for their logical thinking – the role of ODOT’s District Construction Engineers (DCE) can be described as “critical.”
ODOT Districts 2 (Bowling Green) and 12 (Garfield Heights) have recently made critical additions to their staff with the hiring of Michael Butler and Erik Zippay as DCEs. Butler, who has been with ODOT for 15 years, is the DCE in District 2. Zippay, who also joined ODOT in 2011, is serving as District 12’s DCE.
“DCE’s have one of the most important roles of the agency when it comes to fully delivering the capital program across Ohio,” said ODOT Deputy Director, Division of Construction Management, Josh Bowman.
“They are very critical to our members,” added OCA Director of Public Agency Advocacy Chris Engle in referring to ODOT’s 12 DCEs. “They’re basically overseeing all the personnel in Construction – all the area engineers report to them.” And when it comes to ODOT’s organizational chart at the district level, Engle said, “You have the project engineers and all the permanent Construction employees reporting to (the DCE).”
In addition to being the point person for ODOT personnel, Engle said the DCE plays a vital role in keeping projects moving – specifically in a dispute resolution and by setting policy. “They are very instrumental in their opinions of how matters may be settled and resolving any disputes that are happening.”
According to Bowman, requirements for DCEs go beyond being a licensed Professional Engineer. “It really takes a leader that is willing to lead varying different levels within the department to facilitate excellence in construction project administration,” he said.
“The District Construction Engineer is one of the most critical leadership positions we have,” said ODOT District 2 Deputy Director Patrick McColley. “The DCE oversees roughly half of our capital program’s staff and manages the overall administration of the road and bridge construction projects – which is where the vast majority of our taxpayer dollars are actively invested.”
ODOT District 12 Deputy Director John Picuri agrees, but also expands on the DCE’s to-do list, saying, “The District Construction Engineer role is multifaceted … it goes far beyond standard project delivery. They are also directly responsible for assisting our maintenance forces on emergencies that occur on our Interstates. Whether it’s a bridge hit, a chemical spill, or a sudden sinkhole; all these incidents often require assistance from our Construction Department … In addition, our DCE needs to work collaboratively and proactively with our District Planning Engineer and District Design Engineer. By bringing a practical, constructability focus to projects during concept and design phases, the DCE helps influence the direction of project development.”
“… One of the biggest responsibilities a DCE has,” said Bowman, “is fostering an environment and building relationships in their respective districts that focuses on working together with the heavy/highway contracting industry in Ohio in support of common goals of building quality projects safely, on time and within budget.”
For contractors, the DCE can make the difference between a successful project and one that isn’t.
Vernon Nagel Inc. Vice President Morgan Montgomery said the key to successful projects is having project members maintain fundamental values and fairness throughout.
“That starts with the DCE and rolls throughout the district.”
J.D. Williamson Construction Co. President Mary Fantozzi says that besides ensuring consistency among projects, “DCEs address conflicts that cannot be resolved at the project level and intervene when an interpretation on specifications is required.”
“The DCE is a critical element to the culture of the district and construction projects,” Montgomery added. “Much of what the DCE expects of his or her staff, how standard operating procedures are executed, claim mitigation and solving issues that crosses their desk, sets the tone for projects throughout.”
A 25-year ODOT veteran himself, Bowman is confident in the newest DCE’s relationship building and leadership. “Michael (Butler) exhibits a high level of confidence and leadership that is engaging and draws immediate respect from peers and employees … Erik has always focused on strong quality of work and excellence in construction project management, which I’m confident he will ensure the D-12 Construction Department will continue embracing in the work they produce.”
Let’s learn more about ODOT’s newest DCE’s Michael Butler and Erik Zippay
District 2 – Michael Butler
Though it is a new title, new responsibilities and he is in a new district, Michael Butler is making himself at home as ODOT District 2’s new District Construction Engineer (DCE).
The Leipsic native and resident got an early start to familiarizing himself with the “move” to District 2, which is headquartered in Bowling Green. The former District 1 (Lima) Construction Project Engineer took advantage of his short-distance relocation. “I officially started as DCE in District 2 on April 6, but I really started getting around the district the week after I accepted the position,” said Butler. “Being from outside the district, I wanted to get out and meet as many people as possible.”
District 2, which was part of the recent realignment of four ODOT districts in western Ohio, consists of:
- Defiance
- Fulton
- Henry
- Lucas
- Ottawa
- Sandusky
- Seneca
- Williams
- Wood counties
Defiance County was previously part of District 1 (Lima).
The change in districts and job duties isn’t concerning Butler, who while earning his civil engineering degree at Ohio University interned with ODOT and joined the agency upon graduation. “I was fortunate enough to get the opportunity to work on some of the bigger jobs we had in District 1, which provided me with valuable construction experience.
“Some advantages,” he said, “of working in a smaller construction department were getting to spend a ton of time with the different DCEs and getting to know what they provided to the team in that role.”
That experience provided insight into his new role. “I would explain the role as DCE as a leadership position that provides support and direction for the construction project teams that are in the field performing the work,” he said. “Not only for our ODOT folks but the contractors as well. Also, a big part of the DCE role is working across the Planning and Design departments providing input from a construction standpoint to help with creating a quality plan for when the project is handed off to the team in the field.”
While he is getting accustomed to a new district, Butler is not having to get used to longer commutes. “I live about three miles south of the Henry County line, so the commute into the District 2 Office is the exact distance as it was for me to get to the District 1 Office,” he said.
Butler admits that while he is getting used to District 2’s lay of the land both geographically and in personnel, he is fortunate for some familiarity. “As part of the realignment, Defiance County was formerly a D-1 county and now D-2. I have had the opportunity to work on many jobs in Defiance … So, as far as the new territory and maintenance personnel,” he said, “I can say I have some experience with a county in D-2.”
Butler also mentioned recent additions to District 2’s staff, saying, “We also had a project engineer and two HT5s (Highway Technician 5) who transferred from D-1 that worked mostly in Defiance County. So, those are some familiar faces and good additions for our D-2 team.”
District 2 Deputy Director Patrick McColley said Butler has proven early on to be a good addition to the northwest Ohio district. “Michael is an ideal fit for where District 2 is today and heading in the future,” said McColley, who has been a District Deputy Director for more than nine years. “From the moment we interviewed him, and throughout his first months on the job, his incredible energy, enthusiasm and genuine passion for partnering have stood out.”
Vernon Nagel Inc.’s Morgan Montgomery is quick to add to Butler’s professional traits, remarking about his ability in “maintaining fundamental values and fairness.” With Vernon Nagel having worked with Butler on various projects in District 1, Montgomery, who has served as company vice president since 2023, said, “Michael is excellent at keeping the team together; from project inspection, field leadership, administrative flow and decision making at the management level, the project flows well.”
“He is highly collaborative by nature, which is a trait proven by his track record of winning three ODOT/OCA Partnering Awards,” added McColley. “Michael deeply understands that a strong partnering environment builds foundation-level trust between ODOT and our contracting partners. He knows that trust directly correlates to a better end product for the traveling public.”
Butler and wife, Erin, who have been sweethearts since their freshman year at Leipsic H.S., have a son and daughter who are both active in athletics. Their activeness has dad involved year-round coaching flag football, basketball, baseball and softball. “We also like to go fishing and hunting together and get outside as much as possible,” adds Butler, who along with hunting deer and turkey, travels annually out West to hunt elk during archery season.
Butler fills the role previously held by Philip Senn.
District 12 – Erik Zippay
While admittedly still getting used to a busy Outlook calendar, Erik Zippay isn’t needing to get used to his northeast Ohio surroundings as District 12’s new District Construction Engineer (DCE).
A 15-year veteran of District 12, Zippay began his busy calendar as DCE in March. Being initially surprised by the number of meetings he has in his new role, Zippay said smilingly, “I didn’t realize how fast an Outlook calendar fills up.”
Though encompassing only three counties – Cuyahoga, Geauga and Lake – District 12, headquartered in Garfield Heights, handles the fourth-most vehicle miles traveled of any ODOT district, according to ODOT District Statistics.
A Northfield native, Zippay began at District 12 in 2011, when he was accepted into ODOT’s Engineering In Training Program. He is a graduate from the University of Akron, where he earned a degree in civil engineering. “I have spent my entire career with ODOT District 12 Construction,” he said. “I served in the role of Project Engineer from 2011-2021, where I administered a variety of projects gaining invaluable field experience.”
Zippay further worked with field staff as District 12’s Area Engineer, a position he held five years before becoming DCE.
He believes his familiarity with the district’s operations, people and geography will continue to guide him as DCE. “As all of my experience has been in D-12 Construction, I have built relationships with many of the contractors and consultants that do work in this area,” Zippay said. “Also, starting my career as a project engineer allows me to relate to my staff, as I have done the work and understand some of the hurdles that they must overcome.”
Zippay’s ability to navigate hurdles in his previous roles with District 12 has been appreciated by contractors.
J.D. Williamson Construction Co. Inc. President Mary Fantozzi remembers the proactiveness Zippay displayed when her company was working on a bridge replacement project in Cuyahoga County. “This project presented several unique challenges,” she said, recalling the project’s lightweight backfill materials and maintenance of traffic procedures.
“From the project’s outset, Erik distinguished himself through his proactive approach to problem-solving and his ability to evaluate issues from both the owner’s and contractor’s perspectives,” said Fantozzi, who added that Zippay’s ability in making timely decisions contributed to the project’s success.
“Erik maintained a strong presence in the field and served as an outstanding partner to our project supervision team,” said Fantozzi, adding that Zippay’s “professionalism,” “accessibility” and “collaborative mindset” are all qualities contractors value in a DCE. “We were pleased to learn of his promotion to this role, as he has consistently demonstrated a commitment to delivering high-quality projects while balancing the interests of all stakeholders involved.”
District 12 District Deputy Director John Picurri has also seen Zippay illustrate the skills needed in the DCE role. “Good critical thinking skills and an ability to make a decision based on the information provided is essential in this position,” said Picurri, who has served as an ODOT District Deputy Director for nine years – including in District 12 since 2019. “Erik does a good job of explaining his thought process and the reasoning for his decisions, which provides me with a high-level of confidence in making final decisions as the District Deputy Director. Most importantly, I appreciate Erik’s attention to connecting with people, both at ODOT and with the industry at large.”
While he admits to still be learning his role, Zippay seems to have a grasp on his DCE duties. “My role as the DCE is to ensure consistency in decision making across the district; lead the (District 12) Construction Department in the overall direction of ODOT; lend guidance when necessary; and serve as liaison to contractors, consultants, government agencies and ODOT Central Office.”
Zippay said District 12 – like other ODOT districts – is being challenged by the amount of work it is overseeing amid a workforce shortage. However, it is at times like these that he said the relationship between ODOT and the contracting industry is essential. “We rely on the expertise of contractors to deliver our construction projects,” he said. “It is critical that we work together with a ‘project-first approach.’ Contractors can assist the Department by embracing this principle with their staff.”
An Olmsted Falls resident, Zippay, his wife, Brittany, and two children enjoy their proximity to Lake Erie. “Our two kids keep us busy,” he said of his daughter and son – ages 9 and 6. “We enjoy being outside, camping, fishing, swimming and sports.”
Zippay fills the role previously held by Jason Young.