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State of Arkansas 1
95th General Assembly 2
Regular Session, 2025 SR 15 3
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By: Senator K. Hammer 5
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SENATE RESOLUTION 8
TO HONOR RETIRED DIRECTOR OF THE ARKANSAS DEPARTMENT 9
OF TRANSPORTATION LORIE TUDOR FOR HER FORTY -ONE YEARS 10
OF SERVICE TO THE DEPARTMENT AND TO THE PEOPLE OF THE 11
STATE OF ARKANSAS, AND TO CONGRATULATE HER ON HER 12
RETIREMENT. 13
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Subtitle 16
TO HONOR RETIRED DIRECTOR OF THE 17
ARKANSAS DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION 18
LORIE TUDOR FOR HER FORTY -ONE YEARS OF 19
SERVICE TO THE DEPARTMENT AND TO THE 20
PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF ARKANSAS, AND TO 21
CONGRATULATE HER ON HER RETIREMENT. 22
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WHEREAS, Director of the Arkansas Department of Transportation Lorie 24
Tudor retired effective January 10, 2025, after forty -one (41) years of 25
service to the department; and 26
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WHEREAS, Lorie Tudor began work with the department in 1981 as a clerk 28
typist, and after fourteen (14) years of service left to pursue a degree in 29
engineering, which she obtained in 1997 from the University of Memphis; and 30
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WHEREAS, Lorie Tudor returned to the department in 1998 as a civil 32
engineer, then was promoted in 2014 to Deputy Director and Chief Operating 33
Officer of the department; and 34
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WHEREAS, Lorie Tudor became the department's first female director in 36 SR15
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March 2020 during two (2) unusually severe challenges presented by the 1
coronavirus 2019 (COVID -19) pandemic and the emergency closure of the 2
Hernando de Soto Bridge on Interstate 40 traversing the Mississippi River due 3
to the discovery of a dangerous structural fracture; and 4
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WHEREAS, during Lorie Tudor's leadership of the department, the 6
citizens of the State of Arkansas voted for a temporary half -cent ($0.005) 7
sales tax to provide a stable and reliable source of revenue for the 8
department; and 9
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WHEREAS, Lorie Tudor helped guide to successful completion the 11
Connecting Arkansas Program, which encompassed thirty -one (31) state highway 12
construction projects, helping to modernize Arkansas's transportation system; 13
and 14
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WHEREAS, under Lorie Tudor's leadership, the department secured funding 16
for and took steps to begin the construction of the ARDOT Fallen Worker 17
Memorial, which, according to Tudor, "emphasizes how thankful we are for 18
[department] workers and Arkansas Highway Police [Division] officers who paid 19
the ultimate price"; and 20
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WHEREAS, highlights and accomplishments of Lorie Tudor's career at the 22
department include: 23
(1) Overseeing the implementation of the Guidehouse Efficiency 24
Review recommendations, helping to improve the department's operational 25
effectiveness and transparency; 26
(2) Initiating and championing safety programs to enhance the 27
well-being of department employees and contractors; 28
(3) Leading a reorganization of the department designed to 29
increase efficiency and responsiveness to the transportation needs of the 30
State of Arkansas; 31
(4) Helping to launch a new departmental strategic plan to 32
provide a clear roadmap for the department's future; 33
(5) Guiding the department's successful launch of the 34
construction manager -general contractor project delivery method that allowed 35
designers and contractors to work together from initiation to completion of 36 SR15
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projects; 1
(6) Prioritizing partnerships with contractors and communities in 2
order to increase efficiency, cohesion, and innovation; and 3
(7) Inspiring and empowering women to pursue careers in 4
transportation and engineering; and 5
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WHEREAS, Lorie Tudor served as President of the Southeast Association 7
of State Highway and Transportation Officials, Chair of the American 8
Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials' Committee on 9
Funding and Finance, and Board President of the State Board for Licensure for 10
Professional Engineers and Professional Surveyors; and 11
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WHEREAS, Lorie Tudor was inducted into the Arkansas Academy of Civil 13
Engineering at the University of Arkansas in 2018 and was the recipient of 14
the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials' 15
Alfred E. Johnson Achievement Award in 2019; and 16
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WHEREAS, Lorie Tudor received the Associated General Contractors of 18
Arkansas's Skill, Integrity, Responsibility Award, which is the highest honor 19
given to a person outside of the Associated General Contractors of Arkansas; 20
and 21
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WHEREAS, former State Highway Commission Chair Alec Farmer said of 23
Lorie Tudor, "She has been a tireless and highly effective leader for the 24
department. Her hard work and all -out dedication will pay off for many years 25
to come"; and 26
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WHEREAS, Lorie Tudor said of her time at the Arkansas Department of 28
Transportation, "I've had a great career . . . I've been very fortunate to 29
have worked with a wonderful group of hardworking individuals who all 30
understand the value and importance of serving the people of Arkansas", 31
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NOW THEREFORE, 33
BE IT RESOLVED BY THE SENATE OF THE NINETY -FIFTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE 34
STATE OF ARKANSAS: 35
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THAT the Senate honor retired Director of the Arkansas Department of 1
Transportation Lorie Tudor for her forty -one (41) years of service to the 2
department and to the people of the State of Arkansas, and congratulate her 3
on her retirement. 4
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BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that upon adoption, a copy of this resolution be 6
presented to Lorie Tudor by the Secretary of the Senate. 7
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