State Sen. Don DeWitte, R-St. Charles, was named Legislator of the Year, the first such award from the Illinois Road and Transportation Builders Association, according to a news release.

The award was announced Dec. 11 at the Illinois Road and Transportation Builders Association annual dinner meeting in Rosemont where about 1,500 people attended.

“Senator DeWitte has demonstrated the level of commitment and common sense as a legislator that warrants the first-ever IRTBA Legislator of the Year Award,” Mike Sturino, president and CEO, said in the release. “As Minority Spokesperson on the Senate Transportation Committee, he can always be counted on to be a voice of reason and moderation, and an effective advocate for a well-funded and appropriately regulated transportation system.”

“In this industry, progress doesn’t happen by accident,” DeWitte said when he accepted the award.

“It happens when legislators are willing to set partisan differences aside, sit at the same table, and work across the aisle to make decisions that are right for our transportation network,” DeWitte said. “The only way major investments become reality is when we meet in the middle and stay focused on what’s best for our state.”

DeWitte also said he was “very aware that none of this happens without the people in this room.”

“I share this award not only with my transit-minded colleagues in the General Assembly, but with all of you; the professionals who show up every day to maintain, build, and improve the infrastructure Illinoisans depend on,” DeWitte said.

With more than 300 member firms engaged in projects ranging from highways and bridges to transit, aviation, and rail systems, the IRTBA plays a key role in shaping transportation development and industry standards throughout the state, according to the release.

The organization’s core mission is to advance and promote the transportation design and construction industry in Illinois.

“This industry knows that when Senator DeWitte says he will handle an issue, it will be well-handled,” Sturino said in the release. “He always has an open door, offers keen insights, and consistently works to bring stakeholders together for a positive outcome.”

DeWitte announced in July that he plans to serve out his term, which ends in January 2027, but not to seek reelection in 2026.

The former St. Charles mayor said in a news release at the time that his decision was not a retirement from public life but rather a redirection of his energy.

DeWitte was elected a St. Charles alderman in 1993 and served until 2005 before being elected mayor, a position he held until 2013.

He was then appointed to the Regional Transportation Authority as Kane County’s representative, a position he held until 2018, when he was appointed to the Illinois Senate. He was elected twice in 2019 and 2023.