U.S. Transportation Secretary Mineta Welcomes Cox as NHTSA’s Deputy Administrator

U.S. Transportation Secretary Norman Y. Mineta today welcomed Otis G. Cox Jr. as the new Deputy Administrator of the U.S. Department of Transportation’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). He will assume the position on Monday, June 16.

Cox previously served as West Virginia’s Cabinet Secretary for Public Safety and has more than 30 years’ experience in law enforcement and investigations.

“As our Administration takes on the tough challenges of increasing safety belt use and reducing drunk driving, Otis’ extensive background and experience in public safety will help us achieve those goals,” Secretary Mineta said.

Cox served as West Virginia’s Cabinet Secretary for Public Safety from 1997 to 2001. More recently, he served as the public safety coordinator at West Virginia University, where he taught and conducted research, and as assistant professor in the Graduate College of Marshall University in South Charleston, WV.

As the Cabinet Secretary for Public Safety, Cox oversaw West Virginia’s state police, Office of Emergency Management, State Facilities Protection, Division of Correction, Adjutant General's Office, and the Division of Juvenile Services.

Cox also spent 25 years in the FBI. In 1991, he oversaw the move of the Fingerprint Identification Division from Washington, DC to Clarksburg, WV. During his FBI career, Cox became the bureau’s second African American supervisor.

“Mr. Cox has a wealth of experience in management, implementation of large information projects, and field operations," said NHTSA Administrator Jeffrey W. Runge, M.D. "His skills are highly complementary to our safety team."

Cox has a bachelor’s degree from Savannah State University, Savannah, GA, and a master’s degree in public administration from Suffolk University in Boston. He and his wife, Wanda, have three adult children and four grandchildren.

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Briefing Room