Rodney E. Slater

Rodney E. Slater is a partner in the Washington, D.C., office of Squire Patton Boggs and a formerU.S. Secretary of Transportation. He helps clients integrate their interests in the overall vision for the transportation system of the 21st century – a vision he set as Transportation Secretary to promote a safer, more efficient, environmentally sound and sustainable worldwide transportation infrastructure. Secretary Slater also helps state and local government clients address the challenge of closing the gap between transportation demand and capacity by employing public/private strategies and financing solutions. His practice focuses on many of the policy and transportation objectives that were set under his leadership, including automobile use and development, aviation competition and congestion mitigation, maritime initiatives, high-speed rail corridor development, and overall transportation safety and funding. As U.S. Secretary of Transportation under President Bill Clinton, Secretary Slater passed several historic legislative initiatives during his tenure, including the Transportation Equity Act for the21st Century (TEA-21), which guaranteed a record US$200 billion in surface transportation investment though 2003, and the Wendell H. Ford Aviation Investment Reform Act for the 21st Century (AIR-21),which provides a record US$46 billion to improve the safety and security of the nation’s aviation system. Prior to that, he served as administrator of the Federal Highway Administration, where – as the agency’s first African-American Administrator in its century-long history – he oversaw the development of an innovative financing program that resulted in hundreds of transportation projects being completed two to three years ahead of schedule with greater cost efficiencies. Secretary Slater is one of the leaders of the firm’s best-in-class practice in Corporate Compliance Advice, ensuring best-business practices for various companies. He led Toyota’s Safety Advisory Panel, serves as an independent monitor forFiat Chrysler Automobiles, and was recently selected by NHTSA to serve as the independent monitor of FCA. Secretary Slater is a member of the board of directors of the Squire Patton Boggs Foundation, which promotes the role of public service and pro bono work in the practice of law and the development of public policy. He received his B.S. in 1977 from Eastern Michigan University and his J.D. in 1980from the University of Arkansas.