Department of Transportation Ridley joined the
Oklahoma Department of Transportation in 1965, when he started as an equipment operator. He was promoted to a maintenance superintendent position in
Kingfisher, Oklahoma, in 1970 and an then became a traffic superintendent in
Perry, Oklahoma, in 1979. In 1983 he became field maintenance engineer at Perry, then advanced to Division Five Maintenance Engineer at
Clinton, Oklahoma in 1986. He became Division Engineer at Clinton in 1995.
Turnpike Authority In October, 2009, former Transportation Secretary Phil Tomlinson retired as Director of the
Oklahoma Turnpike Authority effective November 1, 2009. The Authority then appointed Secretary Ridley to succeed Tomlinson as Director. With his appointment as Turnpike Director, Ridley is the first person to serve concurrently as Transportation Secretary, Transportation Department Director and Turnpike Authority Director since
Neal A. McCaleb in 1999 under Governor
Frank Keating. Ridley retired as Director of OTA the same day that he retired from ODOT, March 31, 2013. As Transportation Secretary, Ridley has supervision over all state transportation initiatives and the entities charged with implementing them, including the
Oklahoma Department of Transportation, the
Oklahoma Transportation Authority, the
Oklahoma Aeronautics Commission, the
Oklahoma Space Industry Development Authority and all Port Authorities within the state. During the Henry administration, Ridley served as Transportation Secretary concurrently with his position as Transportation Department Director, which gave him direct control over that department.
Fallin Administration On November 29, 2010, Governor-elect
Mary Fallin announced that she would retain Ridley as Secretary of Transportation in her Administration. Fallin also retained Ridley as the Director of both the Department of Transportation and the Turnpike Authority. ==Personal life==