Executive Office Biographies

Grant Levi, P.E., Director

Grant Levi, Deputy Director for Engineering NDDOTClick on photograph to the left to download a printable version.

Grant Levi, P.E. was appointed director of the North Dakota Department of Transportation (NDDOT) in May 2013 by Governor Jack Dalrymple. As director, he is responsible for the daily operations of the department which has a $2.1 billion biennial budget and provides quality services for motor vehicle, driver’s license, operation, construction and maintenance of the state’s highways.


Grant has served as NDDOT’s Deputy Director for Engineering since 1999 and will continue to work in this role. The Engineering Program Area is comprised of several programs including: operations, transportation, project development, planning, pre-construction, construction, and maintenance.

Professional Experience:

Grant earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Civil Engineering from North Dakota State University in 1982.  He has worked for the NDDOT since 1980, holding positions in the Valley City District, the Fargo District, and at the Central Office in Bismarck.


Grant is a Professional Engineer trained in planning, programming, pre-construction, operations and construction management.  He currently serves on numerous committees for the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO).


Grant is a native of Zeeland, North Dakota. He and his wife, Patty, are residents of Bismarck and have three grown children.



Dave Leftwich P.E., Deputy Director for Business Support

Dave Leftwich P.E., Interim Deputy Director for Business Support Click on photograph to the left to download a printable version.

Dave Leftwich has been named as the new Deputy Director for Business Support. Leftwich has served as the Interim Deputy Director in this capacity since October, 2010. He will oversee seven divisions including: Financial Management, Human Resources, Legal, Communications, Information Technology, Audit Services and State Fleet Services. He will also manage Aviation Services and the Business Planner.


Professional Experience:

Dave has a degree in Civil Engineering from North Dakota State University, Fargo. He has worked for the North Dakota Department of Transportation (NDDOT) since 1973. In that time he has worked in several divisions including: Construction, Design, Materials and Research, Technical Services, Local Government, and the Office of Transportation Programs.

Dave is a Registered Professional Engineer and Land Surveyor in the state of North Dakota.

Dave is a native of Hansboro, North Dakota. He and his wife Jackie reside in Bismarck.

Linda Butts, Deputy Director for Driver and Vehicle Services

Linda Butts, NDDOT Deputy Director for Driver and Vehicle ServicesClick on photograph to the left to download a printable version.

Linda currently oversees the Drivers License, Motor Vehicle, and Safety Divisions at the North Dakota Department of Transportation.  Besides overseeing these three divisions, she works extensively on the Enhanced Drivers License and REAL ID legislation and Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative.


Professional Experience:

She previously served the state from 2000-2006 as Director of the Economic Development and Finance Division at the Department of Commerce where she developed several new economic development programs and served on numerous boards and commissions.  She has extensive experience in business management and economic development.   In 2005, she was named North Dakota’s Small Business Administration “Women in Business Champion of the Year.”

She is the past treasurer of the American Association of Motor Vehicles Administrators (AAMVA), an international trade association consisting of all of the states and Canadian providences. She is also past President of AAMVA Region III.

While in the private sector, she owned her own business which was twice named Outstanding Woman owned business in North Dakota.  Linda is a Certified Public Accountant and is a member of the North Dakota Society of CPA’s and the Bismarck Rotary Club.  She served on the board of the University of Mary Idea Center and is a former board member of the North Dakota Chamber of Commerce.

Butts has a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Mathematics from North Dakota State University and an Bachelor of Science in Business Administration with an emphasis in accounting from the University of North Dakota.

She is a native of New England, North Dakota.  She and her husband Alan are residents of Bismarck and have two grown children.