About The Authority

Download the Milestones PDF here.

People : With a focus on our customers, we attract, develop, and nurture talent within the organization and support the diversity of employee skills and strengths.

Safety & Service : We are a collaborative partner and provider of safe, reliable, and financially sustainable transportation services to our customers and community.

Community Focus : We are committed to ensuring the money and investment earned from our assets goes back into the communities we serve.

Regional Leadership : We are dedicated to being a leader in advancing mobility in the region and implementing innovative and practical solutions to transportation challenges.

Efficiency : We are a versatile and agile organization that proactively solves issues, pursues opportunities, and embraces innovation.

Economic Development : We are committed to supporting economic development in the Tampa Bay region through our services and products.

Local Resource : We are here to engage partners and stakeholders with our unique perspective and expertise

Football Icon

The youngest of nine children, Lee Roy Selmon came from humble beginnings, raised on a farm near Eufaula, Oklahoma, by his parents Lucious and Jessie Selmon. In 1972, he joined two of his older brothers at the University of Oklahoma on the Sooner’s football team’s defensive line. By 1974, he was recognized as a star player, leading the team in one of the best defenses in Sooner history. With the Selmon brothers on the team, the University of Oklahoma took the NCAA Division 1-A National Football Championship Title, in both 1974 and 1975. In 1975, Lee Roy was awarded the Lombardi Award, recognizing the best college football lineman, and the Outland Trophy, honoring the best United States college football interior lineman.

"There is nothing as strong as gentleness and nothing as gentle as real strength."

In 1976, Lee Roy was the first-ever NFL draft pick for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Lee Roy was awarded the Buccaneer’s Rookie of the Year and Most Valuable Player awards after his first year with the team. During his professional career, Lee Roy won six Pro-Bowl Championships and was named NFL Defensive Player of the Year in 1979. Selmon played his entire professional career with the Bucs, with his last season in 1984. In 1986, the Bucs retired his jersey number, 63.

In 1988, Lee Roy was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame, into the GTE Academic All-America Hall of Fame in 1994 and into the NFL Football Hall of Fame in 1995. Lee Roy was the first Hall-of-Famer to have earned his credentials primarily in Tampa Bay.

Community Champion

Once retired from professional football, Lee Roy stayed in the Tampa Bay area and became heavily involved in making this community a better place.

Lee Roy began a successful career in banking in 1978, while still playing for the Buccaneers. After retiring, he progressed to vice-president for marketing and public relations with Barnett Banks in Tampa.

Lee Roy joined the University of South Florida (USF) as assistant athletic director in 1993, and in 2001, he became the athletic director and built and launched the football program at USF.  He spearheaded the construction of a new athletic facility. Lee Roy moved from the athletic program to serve as president of the USF Foundation Partnership for Athletics, an athletics fund-raising organization.

The USF athletic family moved into a brand-new $15 million facility in 2004 and on February 22, 2012, the building was officially named the Lee Roy Selmon Athletics Center, in honor of the late Lee Roy Selmon.

Expressway Honor

In 1996, local Tampa Bay businesses and community leaders urged the legislature to do something to honor this true legend, and in 1999, the name of SR 618 was officially changed to The Lee Roy Selmon Expressway.

In 2010, the Selmon Expressway converted to All Electronic Tolling (AET). Lee Roy brought his time and talents to help deliver the message to the community, through videos, print advertisements and radio interviews. He gave countless hours of his time to ensure Tampa Bay residents and drivers of the Selmon Expressway were thoroughly informed about the innovative and progressive changes being made to “his” road.

All Lee Roy asked in return for this was for the Tampa Hillsborough Expressway Authority (THEA) to provide an avenue for young scholars to further their education. To foster Mr. Selmon’s wish, THEA initiated the S3 Program, “S3” standing for “Selmon S.T.E.M. Scholarship.”

The S3 Program gives back to the Tampa Bay community by providing educational opportunities and exposure to careers in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics. The program features outreach programs in area high schools, the University of South Florida (USF) College of Engineering’s Bridge-Building Competition, monetary scholarships and paid internships at the Authority.

Mr. Selmon’s legacy lives on through these programs and the countless other ways he served our community.

“He gave us his name….we will honor it forever”