Matt Howard ’99
Building a Career One Opportunity at a Time
When Matt Howard ’99 graduated from high school, he wasn’t sure where his career would lead. Today, he serves as Regional Director for the New York State Department of Transportation’s Region 2, overseeing transportation operations across six counties in Central New York.
His path wasn’t a straight line, but he believes that’s exactly what made the difference.
“I was one of those kids who wasn’t exactly sure what I wanted to do,” Howard said.
After spending a year studying criminal justice, Howard realized he was headed in the wrong direction. A summer internship with the engineering firm O’Brien & Gere introduced him to a profession that combined technical problem-solving with tangible, real-world impact. That experience inspired him to enroll in Mohawk Valley Community College before transferring to SUNY Polytechnic Institute to earn a bachelor’s degree in Civil Engineering Technology in 1999.
While attending SUNY Poly, Howard balanced school with work and began building the foundation for a career that has now spanned more than 25 years with the New York State Department of Transportation.
He first joined NYSDOT as a transportation construction inspector while still completing his degree. After graduating, he accepted a full-time position in highway design. Since then, he has held leadership roles in highway maintenance, traffic safety, bridge maintenance, emergency management, and regional operations before being appointed Regional Director.
Although the responsibilities have changed over the years, Howard says his motivation has remained the same.
“I’m a break-fix kind of guy,” he said. “Engineering is taking a problem, breaking it down into pieces, figuring out the best solution, and making it happen.”
Howard credits SUNY Poly with preparing him not only for the technical demands of the profession but also for the licensure process that helped launch his career. The rigorous coursework gave him the knowledge needed to pass the Fundamentals of Engineering exam, the first step toward becoming a licensed professional engineer.
Just as important were the relationships he built on campus.
“Small class sizes meant we were all in it together,” Howard said. “Many of us were hired by the Department of Transportation around the same time, and those friendships have lasted throughout our careers. I attribute a lot of my success to those relationships and the teamwork that SUNY Poly fostered.”
Today, Howard sees that same connection continuing as SUNY Poly graduates join the department each year. NYSDOT maintains a strong partnership with the university, regularly hiring interns, construction inspectors, and engineering graduates who begin gaining valuable experience before they even complete their degrees.
“We have such a strong candidate pool coming from SUNY Poly,” Howard said. “The relationship between the university and the department continues to grow, and it’s been incredibly valuable for both of us.”
As someone who now helps lead one of the state’s largest transportation organizations, Howard enjoys seeing new graduates begin the same journey he once started.
His advice to current students is simple.
“Say yes to opportunities,” he said. “It’s easy to stay in your comfort zone, but every time you take on something new, you gain experience. Those experiences add up over time and open doors you never expected.”
Looking back, Howard is grateful for the unexpected turns that brought him to engineering and for the education that helped make his career possible.
More than two decades after graduating, he remains one of many SUNY Poly alumni helping design, maintain, and improve the infrastructure that keeps New Yorkers moving every day.
