E.B. “Bas” Gaither

E. B. “Bas” Gaither has been involved in transportation planning and design projects in both the public and private sectors for the past forty-four years. He is currently the Regional Manager for the American Consulting Engineers, PLC.

Gaither began working for the Kentucky Department of Highways in the summer of 1947 and continued working part time in the evenings during the school terms. After receiving his BS degree in Civil Engineering in 1952, he immediately began serving in the Navy. His Navy service included the Korean War during which time he was a lieutenant on a minesweeper. After his four-year tour of duty, he returned to Kentucky to began his full-time career as a civil engineer with the Kentucky Department of Highways.

During his tenure with the Department, he served as the State Transportation Planning Engineer. This position was a parallel position with the current position of State Highway Engineer as the two functions were separate. He also served as Assistant State Highway Engineer for Pre-Construction, a position responsible for coordinating policy and procedures involving the divisions of Design, Bridges, Right-of-Way and Utilities, and Photogrammetry. Prior to that, he held the position as the Director of the Division of Design. He also served in the Bowling Green, Louisville, and Covington districts.

In 1979, Gaither joined the American Consulting Engineers (ACE) which was formerly called the American Engineering Company. He began as ACE’s Chief Highway Engineer and advanced to the position of Managing Partner/General Manager in 1987. In this position, he was responsible for the management and administration of various transportation and civil engineering projects in six states. Under his direction, the firm has grown beyond the six states, necessitating the formation of Regional Managers. Gaither assumed the position of Regional Manager this year and is responsible for the states of Virginia, West Virginia, Kentucky, Indiana, and Ohio.

Gaither is a member of the American Consulting Engineers Council and the Kentucky Consulting Engineers Council. He serves on the Transportation Committee of ACEC and is a member of the Fellows Program of that organization. He is a member of the National Society of Professional Engineers and the Kentucky Society of Professional Engineers. He also is a member of the Board of the Kentuckians for Better Transportation.

Gaither met Bettye Nation while surveying for the location of I-64 through Shelby County in 1957. The couple married the following year and their only child, Stewart L. Gaither, followed in 1959. Bas and Bettye live on a horse farm on US 421 near the western boundary of Fayette County where he can sometimes be seen mowing or mucking stalls.