Lanford Brothers Named to Transportation Hall of Fame

Jack (left) and Stan Lanford: Hall of Famers.^

Brothers Jack and Stan Lanford, founders of family-run highway and bridge contractor Lanford Brothers, have been inducted into nation’s highest place of honor in the transportation design and construction industry.

The Lanfords, who began the employee-owned company 50 years ago in Roanoke, have joined the American Road & Transportation Builders Association Transportation Development Foundation Hall of Fame, which honors individuals or families from the public and private sectors who have made extraordinary contributions to U.S. transportation development during their careers.

The committee of judges included nine construction industry journalists who reviewed the nominees and selected the hall of fame’s inaugural class, which included the Lanfords. “The transportation design and construction industry is full of visionaries and game changers like the Lanford brothers who have demonstrated exceptional leadership over their lifetime and played an important role in helping shape development of America’s transportation network,” says ARTBA-TDF Chairman Leo Vecellio, chairman and chief executive officer of Vecellio Group Inc., in West Palm Beach, Fla.

Stan and Jack Lanford, after starting Lanford Brothers Co. and working together for more than 25 years, were successful, long-time chief executives at their respective firms, Lanford Brothers Company and Adams Construction.

Both were elected to serve as ARTBA chairman (Jack in 1991 and Stan in 1999), and as president of ARTBA’s state chapter affiliate, known today as the Virginia Transportation Construction Alliance. During their careers, both testified before the U.S. Congress on transportation investment and policy issues.

The Lanford family’s biggest—and most enduring—legacy on the industry, however, is their creation and endowment of the Highway Worker Memorial Scholarship fund in 1999. This first-of-its-kind program, which has become a national model replicated by other groups, provides post-high school financial assistance to the children of highway workers killed or permanently disabled on the job.

Today, it is supported by contributions from industry firms, state transportation departments and labor unions.