Today, The Hampton Roads Transportation Planning Organization (HRTPO) and the Hampton Roads Planning District Commission (HRPDC) join to wish Dwight Farmer, Executive Director, a fond farewell as he retires after 35 years with the HRTPO/HRPDC.   Of his 35 years with the HRTPO/HRPDC, the last six were served in the capacity of Executive Director for both organizations.  In total, Mr. Farmer has been a public servant of the Commonwealth of Virginia for 43 years.    

Mr. Farmer joined the staff of the Southeastern Virginia Planning District Commission in 1978 as Chief Transportation Engineer. On July 1, 1990, the Southeastern Virginia and Peninsula Planning District Commissions merged to form the Hampton Roads Planning District Commission. Mr. Farmer was then appointed Director of Transportation. On July 1, 1998 he was named Deputy Executive Director, of Transportation and Emergency Management. On May 21, 2008, the Board of Directors of the HRPDC/MPO appointed Mr. Farmer Executive Director. The MPO subsequently became known  as the Hampton Roads Transportation Planning Organization, or HRTPO.

Dwight received his B.S. degree in Civil and Environmental Engineering from Virginia Tech and an M.S. degree in Civil and Environmental Engineering from Carnegie Mellon University. He was appointed by Governor Mark Warner to the Virginia Rail Advisory Board and has served as a member and chairman of numerous Statewide Advisory Committees to the Virginia General Assembly, Virginia Department of Transportation and the office of the State Secretary of Transportation during the past two decades. Mr. Farmer has also served on the boards of the Hampton Roads Military Federal Facilities Alliance, the Hampton Roads Partnership, the Hampton Roads Chamber of Commerce and the Future of Hampton Roads Inc. Mr. Farmer is a licensed Professional Engineer and has been an Adjunct Associate Professor in the Civil and Environmental Engineering Department of Old Dominion University for 30 years.

Dr. Camelia Ravanbakht, interim HRTPO Executive Director, and Randy Keaton, interim HRPDC Executive Director, join with the staff of both organizations in  extending the most sincere hope that Dwight embraces this next chapter of his life with the same commitment and  dedication he gave to his years in public service.