Craig Thompson leaving WisDOT on Sept. 11 (UPDATE)

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Craig Thompson, the transportation secretary of Wisconsin since 2019, will step down from his position this fall. His last day is Sept. 11.

Gov. Tony Evers‘ office on Friday announced Thompson will leave the Wisconsin Department of Transportation and take a position at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Kristina Boardman, the deputy secretary of WisDOT, will succeed Thompson as the first woman to serve as the state’s transportation secretary.

“Craig has done a tremendous job at the helm of the Department of Transportation, and I could not be prouder of all the work we’ve been able to do together,” Gov. Evers said in a statement. “From fixing thousands of miles of roads and bridges—enough drive from Wisconsin to Key West, Florida, and back, twice—to celebrating the launch of the first new passenger rail train in Wisconsin in over 20 years to making critical headway on building the 21st-century infrastructure we need to compete in the 21st-century economy, Craig has been part of this work every mile of the way,” he added.

The Evers administration improved more than 7,400 miles of road and 1,780 bridges under Thompson’s leadership, officials said. Under Thompson the state also secured transportation revenues in three state budgets in a row, advanced initiatives to address reckless driving and promoted electric vehicle charging infrastructure, officials added.

“Craig has always brought a genuine good nature to every meeting, event, and the many hours spent traveling across the state, which has made him a welcomed friend who will be greatly missed,” Evers said. “We cannot thank him enough for his years of dedicated service to the state, and we wish him all the best in this next chapter.”

Boardman is currently the deputy secretary of WisDOT and was the first woman in that role, officials said. Prior to becoming deputy secretary, she served as an administrator of WisDOT’s Division of Motor Vehicles, implemented award-winning online service for DMV customers and was chair of the American Association of Motor Vehicle Administrators International Board.

“For nearly 20 years, Kristina has been a key part of the WisDOT team, and her proven leadership and experience at the department, both as deputy secretary and during her time leading the DMV, have positioned her well to be an exceptional secretary,” Evers said. “I look forward to the vision and insight she will bring as a member of my cabinet and trust that her transition into the role will be seamless,” he added.

“I have had the pleasure of working with and learning from Secretary Thompson and know I have important shoes to fill,” Boardman said in a statement. “This is an incredibly exciting opportunity, and I am thankful to Gov. Evers for his confidence in me to take over this new role. We have made some incredible progress these last several years to build transportation systems the people of Wisconsin can rely on, and I am excited to continue building upon that momentum as secretary at the department,” she added.

Boardman earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in political science from Augustana College in Rock Island, Ill., officials said. She has nearly three decades of state government service, including 10 years as a legislative aide for the Wisconsin State Assembly. She joined WisDOT in 2005.

Thompson, a UW-Madison graduate, will replace Charles Hoslet as vice chancellor of university relations. Hoslet retired earlier this year, university officials said in a news release.

Thompson will oversee a broad range of relationships the university maintains with state government, federal agencies, Congress, businesses and other stakeholders, the news release said.

The Wisconsin Transportation Builders Association saluted Thompson and his relationship with the roadbuilders.

“Secretary Thompson has been an incredibly strong and dependable ally for our industry over his years in the Evers administration and before that as head of the Transportation Development Administration,” said Lane Kimble, the director of communications for WTBA. “We truly value his candor and willingness to meet with WTBA staff and the Board on a regular basis,” he added.

“WTBA and its members have, from time to time, had disagreements with WisDOT, but Secretary Thompson’s measured and fair approach to leadership has always helped keep us on track, realizing we all have the same goal at the end of the day,” Kimble said. “We wish him nothing but the best in his new role at UW and look forward to working with Secretary Boardman, who has also shown Craig’s great willingness to be a strong industry teammate,” he added.