Pete Ruane, president and chief executive officer of the American Road & Transportation Builders Association (ARTBA), is the recipient of the Texas Transportation Institute's (TTI) inaugural Director's Research Champion Award for leading the association's efforts in advancing and promoting transportation research at the federal level.
The award was presented Jan. 9 in conjunction with the Transportation Research Board's annual meeting. TTI cited the association's strong relationship with the transportation research community, including the establishment of a formal partnership with the Council of University Transportation Centers (CUTC).
Under the alliance formed in 2000, ARTBA manages CUTC's business, meetings and scholarship programs and provides a headquarters location in Washington, D.C. CUTC members help promote ARTBA meetings, encourage student participation in ARTBA and facilitate ARTBA-member participation in research projects. CUTC also develops technical and management information sessions for presentation during association conventions and meetings and works with ARTBA to advance a federal transportation research and funding agenda.