Megasite Authority of West TN CEO announced
Gov. Bill Lee announced Wednesday Clay Bright as the chief executive officer of the Megasite Authority of West Tennessee.
Bright, commissioner of the Tennessee Department of Transportation, will provide operation and development services at the Memphis Regional Megasite in Haywood County, according to the governor's press release.
Ford Motor Company invested $5.6 billion in the site in September for an industrial campus to create electric trucks and electric vehicle batteries.
“The Megasite Authority will ensure the success of this historic project, and Clay brings the dedication and expertise needed to lead that group,” Lee said. “His proven success in managing complex projects, successful tenure at the Department of Transportation, and dedication to serving Tennesseans make him the perfect fit.”
Bright's background includes more than four decades of construction expertise, project development and project delivery, the release said.
He was first appointed as TDOT commissioner in 2019 but prior to that, he spent 36 years with Brasfield & Gorrie, a construction firm.
Bright helped develop notable projects in Nashville including the Bellsouth (AT&T) building in 1990, Bridgestone Tower and Country Music Hall of Fame Expansion, the release said.
Joe Galbato, the current TDOT chief of bureau of administration, will serve as interim commissioner.
Ford expects to employ about 5,700 people at the megasite, approximately 50 miles northeast of Memphis. The release said the construction period will also add the equivalent of 33,000 temporary direct, indirect and induced jobs.