An energy company lobbyist and former top aide to Gov. Rick Perry was chosen Thursday to lead the 12,000-employee Texas Department of Transportation and will be paid at least $100,000 more annually than the career engineer he succeeds.
The Texas Transportation Commission, after a short, closed-door session, approved the appointment of Phil Wilson as the agency's executive director on a 4-0 vote.
(More on new TxDOT leader . . . )