A former mayor of Durham has been named acting secretary of the North Carolina Department of Transportation.

Tony Tata resigned Tuesday from his position as secretary of the North Carolina DOT. Tata says he plans to focus on his career as an author of military thriller novels.

While the governor searches for a permanent replacement, Tata’s Chief Deputy Secretary Nick Tennyson will take his place. Chapel Hill Town Councilman Ed Harrison has a long history with Tennyson.

“I’ve known Nick since we were teenagers,” Harrison said. “We came to college together and met the first day way back in the ’60s.”

Harrison says Tennyson’s appointment is a good sign for continued progress on getting a light rail system to the Triangle.

“We’re different parties, but he’s been engaged in transportation very favorably in my viewpoint for a long time—for 20 years or so,” Harrison said. “He was mayor of Durham for four years and was always positive about getting a rail system going, at least through that city, and always supported transit growth there.”

Tennyson served as Durham’s mayor from 1997-2001. He’s been at the DOT since 2013.

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