FREEMAN MCCULLAH JUR TO HEAD HIGHWAY DISTRICT

SIKESTON -- Freeman P. McCullah Jr., who began his career with the Missouri Highway and Transportation Department in 1949 as a summer employee, was appointed Monday as chief engineer for the department's District 10 headquartered in Sikeston.

McCullah has been assistant district engineer at the department's St. Louis metro area office in Kirkwood since 1988. In his new role, McCullah, 60, will oversee highway and transportation operations in 14 Southeast Missouri counties.

He replaces Bob Sfreddo, who will leave the chief engineer's post at Sikeston on Aug. 1 to become director of the headquarters office design division in Jefferson City. Sfreddo has served in this position since early in 1987.

"I certainly appreciate the opportunity to work with people in this area," said McCullah Monday. "I hear nothing but good things about the area."

Between now and Aug. 1, McCullah said he plans to become as familiar with the district as possible. Once he assumes his post, McCullah anticipates meeting with people around the 14 counties to increase his understanding.

"I want to become familiar internally with what is going on but at the same time want to meet with local leaders, government officials and people in the areas I will be working with," said McCullah. "I plan to get out and look at all the roads and talk with people."

He said getting familiar with 14 counties will take some time. But, he said, "I am definitely interested in the job, and, if interested, learning is much easier."

Another factor in a smooth transition is that he and Sfreddo once worked together in the Jefferson City office. He replaced Sfreddo as design engineer in Springfield several years ago.

"Bob is a longtime acquaintance and a longtime friend," said McCullah. Sfreddo called him Monday to offer congratulations and to discuss taking some time to tour the district.

He also knows some of the past District 10 engineers and the District 6 chief engineer in Kirkwood is J.T. Yarnell, who was the design engineer at Sikeston before moving to his present post.

"I plan to be down there some between now and Aug. 1, and work closely with Bob in the change over," he said. Last Sunday McCullah and his wife drove through Sikeston to take a look at the community.

"I'm very anxious and looking forward to getting down there," said McCullah.

With the Missouri Highway and Transportation Department, McCullah has served as a highway design engineer, highway design reviewer, standards and specifications engineer, and chief designer.

Prior to assuming his present position in Kirkwood, McCullah served as a design engineer in the Springfield area office. He also worked in Pakistan for a private contractor in 1965-66.

A native of Monett, McCullah has a bachelor of science degree in civil engineering from the University of Missouri at Rolla. He is a member of the Missouri Society of Professional Engineers, the National Society of Professional Engineers, the Transportation Engineering Association of Metropolitan St. Louis, the American Public Works Association, the St. Louis Rotary Club, and is on the board of directors of the Route 66 Association of Missouri.

The District 10 highway office covers Bollinger, Butler, Cape Girardeau, Dunklin, Madison, Mississippi, New Madrid, Pemiscot, Perry, St. Francois, Ste. Genevieve, Scott, Stoddard, and Wayne counties.

McCullah worked three summers with the department while in college as a surveyor and construction inspector. He began working full time for the department in 1954.

He and his wife have three grown children.