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judges. The work he did had a wide Bennett said. “I think that’s one of the The rewards of the director’s job
range of people that he needed to deal things I’m most proud of, because no are many, but chief is “seeing a project
with. He got a lot of good experience in other state in the country has done completed that we’ve worked on a long
that area.” that, and it gives us another $3 billion time and seeing the benefit the people
The biggest challenge, he says, will worth of construction, but it’s for a very get out of it,” Bennett said. “I love trav-
always be funding for roads, whether at small percentage of the highway sys- eling around the state and meeting with
the state or federal level. tem. It’s all for the interstates and some the local people to talk about what the
“We’ve been fortunate enough other major corridors, but we’ve got a needs are and working toward a solu-
that the people voted for two statewide lot of rural highways we’ve still got to tion to meet them. I think that’s the
highway programs two years in a row,” take care of, too.” most rewarding part of it.”

scott Bennett: At A Glance

AGe: 49 FAvorITe Book: Heather and I have read together just
a lot of books about raising children and now raising teenagers
HomeTown: Blytheville and things like that. Of course, she comes up with a lot of
those from her work at Little Rock Family. You know, I read so
CurrenTly lIvInG In: Saline County near Bryant
much here at work that it’s just, a lot of times, as boring as it
ColleGe: University of Arkansas, B.A. and master’s in civil can be, and we spend a lot more time talking about what she’s
engineering read than me reading myself.”

FAmIly: Wife, Heather Bennett (editor of Little Rock Family); BIGGesT InFluenCe on your lIFe: “For my
children Madeline, 14, and Matthew, 12 career, it was my brother Danny. He’s nine years older and
became a civil engineer. A lot of people always said he and I
yeArs wITH AHTD: 26, named director in 2011 were a lot alike. In sports, it was another one of my brothers,
Steve, who still lives in Blytheville. He actually coached me in
FAvorITe sporT: “Growing up it was always baseball. T-ball and Little League baseball. He’s 10 years older than I
Matthew has played more football than he has anything else, am. A lot of it would’ve been my brothers and then my mom,
and football has really become my favorite sport, my favorite really. And Heather’s had a lot to do with it. She’s helped me
to watch, and it was my favorite to coach. grow up a lot for the most part.”

FAvorITe musIC: Country FAvorITe movIe: “Since it’s the time of year it is, it’s
either Elf or [National Lampoon’s] Christmas Vacation. That may
FAvorITe musICAl ArTIsT: “I don’t really have tell you a little bit about my personality.”
one. I just like music. Of course, the kids have me listening to
some other stuff that is a little bit catchy sometimes, but it FAvorITe vACATIon GeTAwAy: “The beach in
ain’t country.” Destin. We branched out a little bit a couple of years ago, and
wHAT’s A DATe nIGHT For you AnD I had to go to Washington, D.C., for a few days for a meeting.
HeATHer? “When you have kids, you don’t get nearly as Heather and the kids went with me, and we stayed for a week
beyond that and just absolutely loved it. … That was a lot of
many of them. But what we’ve done recently is, the kids have fun, but we missed the beach. We’re going to go to Charleston,
been in a group of friends who have gone to the movie. We’ll S.C., next time.”
drop them off there at the Promenade, and she and I will go
eat at one of the restaurants there and just get a chance to sit FAvorITe meAl AT Home: “U.S. Pizza. I would pick
and talk. There have been times we’ve gone through a drive- that over a steak. If I had to pick a last meal, though, it would
through and sat in the car just so we can sit and talk.” be my wife’s spaghetti. She didn’t even know how to cook
wHo woulD Be GuesTs AT your when we met.”
“DreAm” DInner? “I’d have to have my wife there, pHIlosopHy on lIFe: “Try to have a little bit of fun.
so that would be one … This is going to sound weird, but I Life’s too short to take everything so seriously. Try to laugh a
would love to have Frank Broyles and Houston Nutt at dinner little bit every day. Work is work, and this is a great career, but
together. I’d like to hear those stories, if they would talk.” when I go home it’s time for the family and to have a little bit
of fun.”

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