Leadership

Before returning to Texas A&M-RELLIS, Mr. Barton served as a senior vice president at HNTB Corporation, where he led HNTB’s markets and professional practice disciplines and was responsible for developing and directing strategies to enhance HNTB’s services and growth. He also headed HNTB’s Department of Transportation market sector and its National Bridge Practice.

Mr. Barton also previously served the Texas A&M University System from 2016 to 2018, where he was an associate vice chancellor as well as the executive director of the Texas A&M-RELLIS campus. He also served as lead staff for Commissioner John Sharp’s team assembled to support the Governor’s Commission to Rebuild Texas and led several strategic initiatives for both the Texas A&M University System and the Texas A&M University College of Engineering, including the development of intelligent transportation systems and solutions.

Mr. Barton spent nearly 30 years at the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT), where he began his career as an entry-level maintenance technician.  He held numerous increasingly responsible positions with TxDOT before retiring as the deputy executive director. As the deputy executive director, he provided executive leadership over all TxDOT operations. Each of these roles required working directly with the legislature and TxDOT’s commission to establish programs, policies, and projects to carry out the functions of this state agency.

Mr. Barton serves on several advisory boards, including the Texas A&M Engineering Experiment Station, the Texas A&M University College of Engineering’s Zachry Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, and the Texas A&M University Center for Infrastructure Renewal. He has been recognized for his contributions to the transportation industry by numerous professional organizations, including being named a Distinguished Graduate of Texas A&M University College of Engineering’s Zachry Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, receiving the Lifetime Contribution in Safety Award from the American Road and Transportation Builders Association, the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials President’s Special Award of Merit, the Federal Highway Administration Administrator’s Public Service Award, and the Texas Governor’s Leadership in Transportation Award.

Mr. Barton graduated with honors with a Bachelor of Science in civil engineering from Texas A&M University and completed the Governor’s Executive Development Program at the University of Texas, LBJ School of Public Affairs.