Carl Borleis Appointed Interim Executive Director of the Minnesota State Transportation Center of Excellence

The Minnesota State Transportation Center of Excellence (TCOE) is excited to announce the appointment of Carl Borleis as the Interim Executive Director. Previously serving as the Director of Program Excellence, Carl brings a wealth of experience in both industry and education, making him an exceptional choice to lead the Center during this transitional period.

With three decades of combined experience in transportation and education, Carl’s background spans from driving—including flatbed, dry van, refrigerated, tow truck, school bus, straight truck, motor coach, and doubles—to high-level roles such as Senior Logistics Manager for a Fortune 500 company and business owner. In the educational arena, Carl has taught middle and high school Alternative Education, Adult Basic Education, and has been a Truck Driving Instructor in both the private and public sectors, helping approximately 1,200 individuals earn their CDL. He holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Education with a minor in Middle Level Science from Bemidji State University.

Since joining the TCOE in January 2020, Carl has made significant contributions to the Center’s mission. As the Director of Program Excellence, he played a pivotal role in the development of the Educator Resource webpage during COVID-19, which continues to serve as a valuable resource for educators. He also created the Program Excellence Inventory model, which has now evolved into the North Star Project, and initiated a New Teacher Mentoring session at the Midwest Teachers of Transportation and Industrial (MTTIA) conference. Additionally, Carl served as the Principal Investigator (PI) on the NSF-funded ISA-TOPE grant, furthering the Center’s commitment to advancing transportation education.

Commenting on his new role, Carl said, “Following in the shadow of Chris Hadfield can seem like a daunting task, but one of the reasons I accepted the interim role is because of the great team that still remains at the TCOE; together we will continue to do great work.”

Outside of his professional commitments, Carl is actively involved in his local church and enjoys spending time with his wife, Katie, traveling, boating, and fishing. He is also a proud parent of two sons, CJ and Noah, both of whom have graduated from transportation-related Technical College programs and are employed in their respective fields.

The TCOE is confident that under Carl’s leadership, the Center will continue to excel in its mission to provide outstanding transportation education and workforce development across Minnesota.