William L. ("T") Thompson

William LaMont "T" Thompson (born June 14, 1951) is President and CEO of the Association of Graduates of the United States Air Force Academy. A native of Orangeburg, South Carolina, he was one of the first African-American students to desegregate previously all-white Orangeburg High School in 1965. He became the first African-American from South Carolina to receive an appointment to the U.S. Air Force Academy in Colorado in 1969. Captain Thompson also enjoyed a twenty-five-year career with Delta Air Lines and served as Commissioner of the Massachusetts Aeronautics Commission. The longest serving Commissioner in its history, he has worked under both Democratic and Republican governors. Thompson was appointed by Gov. John Hickenlooper to the Colorado Aeronautical Board, effective 1 February 2013. He is also an attorney and member of the District of Columbia and Massachusetts Bars.

Family, early life and education
William "T" Thompson resides in Colorado Springs, Colorado, and Atlanta, Georgia. Formerly married to Kathie Taylor, the couple had two daughters, Taylor and Sydney. They were divorced in 2001. Born in Orangeburg, South Carolina, he is the son of Pearl, an educator, and Willie J. Thompson, an educator and state administrator. Thompson was one of the first African-American students to de-segregate previously all white, Orangeburg High School in 1965. While at Orangeburg High he played football, basketball and ran track, lettering numerous times. He was an academic standout and a perennial honor student. Active in the community, Thompson was also an Eagle Scout. He graduated in 1969 with a National Merit commendation, All-American honors in football and AAU recognition in track, and became the first African-American from South Carolina to receive an appointment to the U.S. Air Force Academy in Colorado. While at the Academy, he was a member of the 1971 Sugar Bowl Team, was on the Commandant’s list, attained the rank of Cadet Lt. Colonel and served as a member of the Cadet Wing Staff, the five man governing body of the school.

Air Force service and higher education
After graduation from the academy in 1973, Lieutenant Thompson was appointed to a special assignment as the Minority Affairs Advisor to the Superintendent of the Academy. In this position, which he was instrumental in creating; Lieutenant Thompson was responsible for increasing minority enrollment at the Academy. The Minority Affairs Office has since grown into a thirteen person staff and has been responsible for the recruitment of thousands of minority students to the Air Force Academy. After a year in this special assignment, Thompson entered jet pilot training in Valdosta, Georgia, finishing as the Outstanding Lieutenant in his class. He was selected for immediate entrance into Air Force Instructor Pilot School and held both the Instructor and Master Instructor designations during his 7 year tour in the Air Force. In addition to his flying duties, Captain Thompson held numerous positions of increasing responsibility, including Deputy Flight Commander, Chief of Wing Life Support, and the President of the Junior Officer’s Council. He also attended California State University, completing 15 units towards a Masters of History with a 3.9 GPA before opting to pursue a Juris Doctorate degree at the University of the Pacific’s McGeorge School of Law. He separated from the service in 1980 to accept a pilot’s position with Delta Air Lines and relocated to Boston, MA to fly and to complete his final year of law school at Suffolk University. He completed his legal studies on Dean’s List, having been invited to solicit for Law Review.

Delta Air Lines
Thompson began his employment with Delta Air Lines in August 1980 as a Second Officer on the Boeing 727 aircraft. During his twenty-five-year tenure with Delta, he progressed through several positions and aircraft and retired as a Line Check Captain with an assignment to the Boeing 767-400 aircraft. As a Line Check Captain, Thompson was responsible for both training and evaluating other Delta Captains and co-pilots. In addition to his flying duties, Captain Thompson was an active participant in the Flight Operations Department, representing Delta at numerous conferences, expos and civic engagements. Additionally, he was active with the Air Line Pilots Association (ALPA) serving as Chairman of the Legislative Affairs Committee. As one of the aviation industry’s few African-American commercial airline pilots, Captain Thompson was very active in the minority community. He has been a speaker at numerous inner city schools, helped establish a national scholarship program for minority students interested in aviation and served as Committee Chairman for the Joint National Convention of the Organization of Black Airline Pilots (OBAP) and the Tuskegee Airmen. Captain Thompson has received numerous indices of recognition from Delta Air Lines, ALPA and OBAP for his contributions.

The Summit Group companies
Attorney Thompson is a member of the Massachusetts Bar and the Washington, DC Bar. He is certified to practice before the US Tax Court and is admitted to the Bar of the Supreme Court of the United States. He began the practice of law and also founded the Summit Group in 1982. Through growth, acquisitions and mergers, Thompson built the company into a small conglomerate which owned Subway, Dunkin Donuts and TCBY fast food franchises. The Summit Group also acquired a systems integration company, an engineering and testing company and a medical services firm. The company’s offices were located in Portland, Maine; Boston, Massachusetts; Austin, Texas and Colorado Springs, Colorado. Thompson's accomplishments have been chronicled in numerous media outlets including The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, Black Enterprise Magazine, The Boston Globe, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, PBS/Educational TV, NBC and CBS News and The Black Entertainment Network. Thompson was also nominated as Entrepreneur of the Year for Inc. Magazine and selected as an Outstanding Entrepreneur by the Bank of Boston.

Government service
Thompson was appointed Commissioner, Massachusetts Aeronautics Commission by Governor Michael Dukakis in 1983, was re-appointed by Governor William Weld in 1990 and was re-appointed again by Governor Paul Celluci in 1999. In this position, he served coterminous with the Governor and was responsible for general supervision and control over the State’s 45 public use airports and 200 private landing areas. He has the unique distinction of having served in both Democratic and Republican administrations. Commissioner Thompson was appointed to five consecutive 4-year terms and is the longest serving Commissioner in the Commission’s history. For his dedication, leadership and accomplishments, the Massachusetts Airport Managers Association and the Massachusetts Aviation Task Force have honored Thompson for Fostering the Spirit of Aviation in Massachusetts. Additionally, Thompson was on the short list for consideration by President Clinton as Administrator, Federal Aviation Administration during the President’s first term and as Secretary of the Air Force during the President’s second term. Thompson was appointed by Gov. John Hickenlooper to the Colorado Aeronautical Board, effective 1 February 2013.

Thompson sold his business interests in 2000-2001 and took an early retirement from Delta Air Lines in 2005. He devoted his energies to speaking and writing, giving back to the community and spending time with his family. Also in 2005 he co-authored a self-help book entitled Conversations On Success with John Gray of Men are From Mars-Women are From Venus- fame and self-help gurus Brian Tracy and Jim Rohn. In 2008, he came out of retirement to become President and CEO of the Association of Graduates at his alma mater, the United States Air Force Academy. He presently serves in this position.

Community service and organizations
Thompson has throughout his professional career been very involved in the community and has served on the boards of numerous organizations.

He is a past Chairman of the Board of the American Cancer Society - Massachusetts Division and served on the National Board of Directors of the Society for six years. He is also a past American Cancer Society Volunteer of the Year.

Thompson served as Clerk of the corporation and a member of the Finance Committee for Northeast Health Systems/Beverly Hospital.

He is a past President of the National Association of Guardsmen for both the Boston and Atlanta Chapters.

Currently a Trustee of Eastern Bank Corporation of Massachusetts, he is also a former Director of Eastern Bank and Trust, Security National Bank, the Conifer Banking Group and Bank of New England - Essex.

Active as a leader in education, Thompson served as a Founding Member of the Foundation Board of Directors for Atlanta Technical College and also served on the oversight Board of Directors at the school. He also served as Treasure of the Technical College Directors Association for the state of Georgia and was in line to become its President before returning to his alma mater, the Air Force Academy.

Thompson is a former Trustee of Bridgeton Academy, the nation’s only all post graduate private school for young men. He is also an Air Force Academy Falcon Foundation Trustee. The Falcon Foundation is committed to providing scholarships to those who seek Air Force Academy admission with a desire to become career officers in the United States Air Force.

An Eagle Scout, he is a former District Commissioner and served on the Executive Board of the Boy Scouts of America in Massachusetts. He has also served as a member of the Board of Directors and as an officer of the 100 Black Men of Atlanta, Inc.

Thompson served as a member of the Supervisory Committee for Ent Federal Credit Union, Colorado Springs largest financial institution. He is also a member of the Colorado Thirty Group whose mission is “to educate, inform, and foster understanding and cooperation between the civilian community, the government of the United States, and the armed forces.”

A member of the Colorado Springs Chamber of Commerce, he serves on the Chamber’s Military Affairs Council. He is also a member of the Pikes Peak Roundtable and serves on the Board of Directors of the Winter Night Club.

A former graduate of Leadership Atlanta, he was a member of its Board of Directors and Program Chair for the Class of 2009. He is also a member of the Colorado Springs Leadership Institute and is a graduate of the program at the international Center for Creative Leadership.

Thompson is a past Sire Archon (President) of Delta Upsilon Boulé, Sigma Pi Phi Fraternity, the nation’s oldest African American fraternity.

Awards and achievements
Thompson has been cited for his contributions to the community on numerous occasions. Some of the awards presented include:


 * U.S. Jaycees - Outstanding Young Men of America
 * Century Award - Boy Scouts of America
 * Volunteer of the Year - American Cancer Society
 * Guardsman of the Year - National Association of Guardsmen
 * Spirit of Aviation Award - Massachusetts Aviation Task Force
 * Outstanding service to Aviation-Massachusetts Airport Managers Association
 * Outstanding Achievement - Organization of Black Airline Pilots
 * Outstanding Entrepreneurship - Bank of Boston
 * Board of Directors Commendation - Security National Bank
 * 1998 African-American History Calendar - BellSouth Telecommunications, Inc.
 * Mayor’s Key to the City - Columbia, S.C.
 * 2000 Service Award-U.S. Security and Exchange Commission
 * Outstanding Service-Air Line Pilots Association
 * Outstanding Contribution-Cadet Way of Life Committee, USAF Academy

Thompson also has several citations and certificates from Delta, as well as listings in numerous publications including, Who’s Who in the West, Who’s Who in the East, and Who’s Who in Business, Who’s Who among Black Americans, Outstanding Personalities of the South, Men of Achievement and International Register of Profiles.

Awards and decorations
Badges
 * United States Air Force Pilot Badge.svg Air Force Pilot
 * US Army Airborne basic parachutist badge.gif Parachutist
 * Delta Air Lines Captain