COLUMBUS, Ohio – Jack Marchbanks, director of the Ohio Department of Transportation, is retiring at the end of next month after more than five years in the job, Gov. Mike DeWine’s office announced Friday.
Marchbanks, one of the governor’s first Cabinet members in 2019, is leaving office Sept. 30 after informing the governor’s office that he plans to pursue an unspecified academic position, according to DeWine’s spokesman Dan Tierney. After he leaves, he will continue to serve as a senior policy adviser for ODOT “to ensure a smooth transition” for his successor, according to a news release from the governor’s office announcing Marchbanks’ resignation.
“He also looks forward to devoting more time to promoting the performing arts and African-American culture, two of his lifelong passions,” the press release said.
DeWine has nominated Pamela Vest Boratyn, deputy executive director of the Ohio Police & Fire Pension Fund and a longtime ODOT official, to replace Marchbanks, the release said. Boratyn’s nomination still must be confirmed by the Ohio Senate.
As director of ODOT, Marchbanks led one of the largest state agencies in Ohio and one of the largest transportation departments in the country. ODOT maintains about 43,000 miles of highways and nearly 15,000 bridges, directly employs about 5,000 people and has a budget of $4.1 billion this fiscal year, according to state data.
During Marchbanks’ tenure as director, state spending on road and bridge projects rose to a record $2.8 billion in the last fiscal year, which ended June 30.
ODOT has also launched a multi-year initiative, at DeWine’s urging, to remodel and renovate dozens of rest stops across the state. Features of the new rest stops include speakers playing a list of Ohio-related songs compiled by Marchbanks, a musician who hosts a weekly radio jazz show in Columbus and co-wrote two songs by the ’80s band Klymaxx.
Before becoming director, Marchbanks held several other positions at ODOT, including deputy director for economics and human resources and deputy director for the Central Ohio region.
Cleveland.com/The Plain Dealer contacted Marchbanks to learn what academic position he would like to pursue. His long and varied resume appears to open up a number of possibilities.
In 2018, Marchbanks received his doctorate in philosophy from Ohio University with a dissertation on jazz artists and writers during the civil rights movement. He also holds a master’s degree in political science and government from Clark Atlanta University, an MBA from Xavier University, and a bachelor’s degree in political science and government from the University of Dayton.
In a statement of thanks to Marchbanks, DeWine said the director “shares my vision to increase safety on Ohio’s roadways and ensure our transportation system operates efficiently to serve our residents, businesses and visitors.”
The governor also said he was pleased with Boratyn’s nomination because he “brings a passion for public service and a wealth of experience in the transportation sector.”
Jeremy Pelzer covers state politics and policy for Cleveland.com and The Plain Dealer.
