Beverly Watts Appointed to Michigan Infrastructure Council
Published on December 09, 2021
Governor Gretchen Whitmer appoints Wayne County's Beverly Watts to the Michigan Infrastructure Council
Detroit, MI - The Michigan Infrastructure Council is committed to supporting the owners and operators of Michigan's vast infrastructure network. The Governor's appointed council will define a vision for Michigan's infrastructure that will provide the foundation for sustainability, public and environmental health, economic prosperity, and quality of life, including for future generations.
Since 2016, Watts has been the director of the Wayne County Department of Public Services (DPS). She is the department's first female director and responsible for developing strategic plans for each of the department's six divisions; totaling over 600 employees with an annual budget exceeding $300 million dollars and total assets estimated at $1 billion dollars. She is also responsible for aligning the department's vision and mission with the goals set forth by County Executive Warren C. Evans.
"Beverly Watts has been an extremely valuable member of my team who has worked tirelessly on behalf of the people of Wayne County to provide them with the level of service they expect and deserve from DPS." said Executive Evans. "Her appointment to the Michigan Infrastructure Council by Gov. Whitmer is an added confirmation of the value Beverly brings to whatever team is fortunate enough to benefit from her perspective and vision."
Under Watt's leadership, the Wayne County Department of Public Services was awarded full accreditation by the American Public Works Association in 2018 for their processes and procedures making them the first county in Michigan to receive this honor. In addition, Watts has implemented policies which emphasize equity, diversity, racial and gender equality, an inclusion. For example, Watts has built a diverse team of decision-makers for various departmental processes including recruitment, divisional oversight, and procurement practices.
Watts is a proud native Detroiter and Michigan State University alumni. She serves on the Board of the Detroit Riverfront Conservancy, Michigan Chapter of COMTO (Conference of Minority Transportation Officials), where she was awarded the 2019 "Pioneer Award for Public Agency Executive of the Year", and sits on the 2021 Industry Awards Committee of the national chapter. Also, in 2021, under Watts' leadership, the Wayne County Department of Public Services became a member of COMTO, which solidifies the department as one of the most diverse road agencies in the state of Michigan.
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Wayne County's Beverly Watts Appointed to Michigan Infrastructure Council(PDF, 169KB)