RALEIGH — Governor Josh Stein announced that N.C. Department of Transportation Deputy Secretary and General Counsel Daniel Johnson will replace the agency’s current Secretary Joey Hopkins, who is retiring on Oct. 1.
“Secretary Hopkins has served at the Department of Transportation for more than 30 years and was planning for his retirement until Hurricane Helene struck our state,” Stein said in a press release. “I asked him to delay his retirement to help steer us through the early phases of recovery and rebuilding. I am so grateful that he did, and we have reopened 97% of our state-maintained roads. He is a true public servant, beloved across the state and across the aisle, and I wish him a joyful retirement with his family.”
Former Gov. Roy Cooper Hopkins appointed Hopkins to the N.C. Department of Transportation (NCDOT) post in October 2023 and Stein kept him in that role when he was elected governor. Hopkins had previously been the agency’s chief operating officer.
“It has been an honor to serve as Secretary of Transportation, and I am grateful to all the North Carolinians who put their trust in our team,” said Hopkins. “Daniel Johnson has been a valuable advisor to me, and I am proud to pass the torch to him.”
Johnson worked in private practice prior to joining the NCDOT and served as an assistant district attorney in Wake County.
“Secretary Hopkins leaves a legacy of leadership that I can only hope to continue,” said Johnson. “We must continue the task of building a transportation system that meets the needs of our growing state, and I am eager to get to work.”
Johnson is a Navy and Marine Corps Medal recipient and a native of Hickory. He earned undergraduate and law degrees at the University of North Carolina.
