Former Rock Island County Democratic Chairman Doug House has been hired by Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker as deputy secretary of transportation. 

House was notified on Tuesday by Secretary of Transportation Omer Osman and started the job Wednesday, he said. 

House said his main responsibilities will be dealing with state and federal legislation and communications. 

"I’m very excited. It fulfills a lifelong ambition and furthers my career in transportation," House said. "I am humbled by the enormity of the work and honored by the governor and his administration’s confidence in me to help them provide a world-class transportation system."

House was chair of the Rock Island County Democratic Party from April 2012 to November 2018, and he served as a precinct committeeman for 38 years. He was elected president of the Illinois Democratic County Chairs Association in November 2015.

House played an active role in campaigning statewide for Pritzker in 2018, and he stepped down from his leadership roles in November after the election was over. 

House was most recently employed as a construction analyst for the Indiana, Illinois, Iowa Foundation for Fair Contracting.

Before that, he was general manager of public works for the city of Moline. He worked for the city for 18 years and was commissioner of Blackhawk Township Road District for 34 years.

House said his job as deputy secretary will have two aspects to it: the legislative side and the communications side. 

"I’ll be overseeing any legislation dealing with transportation issues," House said. "And I’ll work to gain support for important legislation, including a capital bill. It’s a really exciting and important time to be coming on in that capacity. 

"It’s important we work with our federal legislators. I look forward to collaborating with them in seeing Illinois get a return on their federal tax dollars."

In terms of communications, House said he will be responsible for communicating to the public anything that may affect transportation in the state, such as weather conditions, detours, or an event that could shut down a highway or other pathways. 

House said he also will work to bring passenger rail service to the Quad-Cities. The Q multi-modal rail station has been constructed in downtown Moline, but state funding still is needed to complete the project in order to open an Amtrak route between Moline and Chicago. 

"Like I will with any other agency, I’ll meet with the stakeholders in the Quad-Cities area and try to present the case," House said. "Some of that is state funding, and there is still federal funding out there we need to utilize or use. (U.S. Rep.) Cheri Bustos (D-Moline) has been good about making sure protections and extensions are there for funding."

Paul Rumler, president of the Quad Cities Chamber of Commerce, said House is more than qualified to be deputy secretary of transportation. 

"Doug is the right person for this job in managing state and federal relations," Rummler said. "He has a depth of experience in transportation and public works and has traveled the state extensively. With the conversation happening in the Quad-Cities on the need to invest in our capital infrastructure, Doug will be well-positioned to lead the DOT through that.

Rummler said House is aware that transportation is critical to the Quad-Cities’ ability to attract and retain businesses in the area. 

"It’s great to know we’ll have a friendly ear at the DOT, but more importantly, someone who knows our issues," Rummler said. "I think Doug will do a great a job."

House said the timing of his appointment was good.  

"The General Assembly is in recess for another week, so this was a good time to come on board and get my legs under me," House said. "I’m really happy for our area. … This is a really large agency and something I’m well-suited for. I hope I can do good things as a result of it."

The Department of Transportation oversees a $3 billion annual budget that pays for building and maintaining highways, railways, airports and transit systems.

According to the IDOT, Illinois has more than 42,000 miles of highways, 8,000 bridges, 19 water ports, 63 public mass-transit providers, 107 airports and nearly 300 heliports.

"Public service has always been at the core of who I am, and I look forward to this challenge," House said.