WASHINGTON, D.C. (January 28, 2021) – The American Public Transportation Association (APTA) mourns the passing of Board Member Delon Hampton, founder of Delon Hampton & Associates (DHA).
Hampton founded DHA in 1973 in the Washington, DC, area at a time when there were few black-owned engineering companies. DHA won contracts for high-profile projects including the U.S. Capitol Visitor Center, international airports in Atlanta and Washington, DC, as well as metro rail projects in DC, Los Angeles, and Atlanta.
“I had the privilege of knowing and working closely with Delon over the many years he dutifully served on numerous APTA committees, including our Business Member Board of Governors,” said APTA President and CEO Paul P. Skoutelas. “Delon was an accomplished professional and a warm and caring human being. He will be greatly missed.”
“I’m so sorry to hear about the passing of another legend. Delon was a trailblazer for so many, especially to African American engineers. The proliferation of many civil engineering firms across the country in the 1980s can be attributed to Delon Hampton & Associates. He was a teacher, mentor, and role model to many engineers and businesses, myself included. My father and I studied his success template when we started our business in 1979. It is not surprising that he was the first African American BMBG chair – I guess I’m still following in his footsteps,” said Eve Williams, APTA BMBG Chair, President and CEO, Dikita Enterprises, Inc.
Hampton was very active in APTA and served in various capacities as chair and vice chair of the Business Member Board of Governors and its various subcommittees. He served on APTA’s Executive Committee from 2006-2008.
In 1999, Hampton was elected as the first black president of the American Society of Civil Engineers. He earned a civil engineering professorship at Howard University and obtained professional engineering registrations in 18 states, plus the District of Columbia.
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The American Public Transportation Association (APTA) is a nonprofit international association of 1,500 public and private sector organizations which represent a $74 billion industry that directly employs 435,000 people and supports millions of private sector jobs. APTA members are engaged in the areas of bus, paratransit, light rail, commuter rail, subways, waterborne services, and intercity and high-speed passenger rail. This includes: transit systems; planning, design, construction, and finance firms; product and service providers; academic institutions; transit associations and state departments of transportation. APTA is the only association in North America that represents all modes of public transportation. APTA members serve the public interest by providing safe, efficient and economical transit services and products.
