James M. Bass

James M. Bass is the Chief Financial Officer of the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT). He is responsible for management of the Finance Division, which now includes programming and scheduling of all transportation projects and letting management activities associated with project delivery. Bass began his TxDOT career in 1985 working summers in the Fort Worth District, where he maintained records and audited field measurements. He earned a bachelor's degree in accounting at UT, while also working part-time as an engineering aide. After graduation, Bass became an accounting clerk in the Finance Division's Revenue Accounting Section, and was soon promoted to budget analyst in the Budget and Forecasting Section. As manager in the Budget and Forecasting Branch in 1997, Bass worked on preparation of TxDOT's Legislative Appropriations Request and Operating Budget, and corresponded with the Legislative Budget Board, State Auditor's Office, and the Office of the Texas Comptroller. He also worked on TxDOT's Cash Forecasting System for the State Highway Fund, which details revenue and expenditures on a monthly basis. Bass was selected as division director effective November 1999, and his title was changed to Chief Financial Officer in 2005.