MnDOT District 7 Engineer Ous to retire after 39 years; Tess named new district engineer
MANKATO, Minn. – Greg Ous, District Engineer for the Minnesota Department of Transportation’s District 7 office in Mankato, will retire in July after 39 years of service.
A public reception is scheduled for Wednesday, June 24 from 3 to 5 p.m., at the MnDOT Mankato office, 2151 Bassett Drive. A brief program is planned for 3:30 p.m.
Ous has served as district engineer for District 7 since 2012. District 7 includes 13 counties in south central and southwestern Minnesota and includes offices in Mankato and Windom.
Under Ous’s leadership the district has made significant improvements to major corridors including Highway 14, 60, and 169, and implemented safety enhancements such as roundabouts and J-turns. Ous also played a key role in the South Central Toward Zero Deaths program, which focuses on reducing serious and fatal crashes on Minnesota roads.
From 2009 to 2012, Ous served as assistant division director for operations in MnDOT’s Central Office in St. Paul.
Ous began his MnDOT career in 1987 as a graduate engineer in Bemidji, working in construction, materials, and hydraulics before moving to Mankato in 1988 as a project engineer in construction. Over the years, he held roles including project supervisor, project engineer, resident engineer, detail design engineer, area maintenance engineer, and assistant district engineer for project delivery.
A Crookston native, Ous earned his civil engineering degree from North Dakota State University. He and his wife, Sheila, reside in Mankato and have two children.
Tess selected as District Engineer for MnDOT District 7
MnDOT has selected Zachary Tess as the next district engineer for District 7. He began the role on May 6.
Tess will oversee planning, design, construction, maintenance, and operations across the district and will provide strategic direction for the department. He looks forward to strengthening relationships with local governments and elected officials to improve transportation throughout the region and is committed to advancing MnDOT’s mission to help people travel safely and reliably.
Tess holds a civil engineering degree from the University of Wisconsin–Platteville.
He has over 17 years of experience with MnDOT, including roles as a student worker and project management group lead. Tess is a registered professional engineer and certified project management professional. Most recently he served as assistant district engineer for program delivery.
Tess and his wife, Samantha, have two children and live in the Mankato area.
For more information on MnDOT District 7 visit mndot.gov/d7.
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