MLK Commemoration

Bio

Ramone Hemphill, Sr. has been an engineer in the aerospace industry for the past 20 years, earning a bachelor’s in computer science from North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University.

He began his career developing flight deck simulators for commercial aviation platforms at Rockwell Collins in Iowa, working with clients such as Embraer, Bombardier, Boeing, and Airbus.

As a career investment, Hemphill earned his pilot’s license after joining the Honda Aircraft Company while progressing their premier HondaJet program into production. He continued to build flight experience throughout his subsequent career moves, from Part 23 Flight Testing at BendixKing/Honeywell to Flight Control Actuation Systems at Moog Aircraft Group, where he worked on military drones.

He’s been a Scrum Master for flight display applications, a Project Engineer for airborne transponders, and a Product Owner in flight deck integration before earning his MBA from Florida Tech and landing his current role, leading a team of engineers and managers at Northrop Grumman.

Having founded The 99th Squadron, Inc. in 2020 to expose youth to the various opportunities within the aerospace industry, Hemphill’s journey at Florida Tech helped him navigate through the challenges of the non-profit landscape into the substantial impact the community has benefited from today…

• 2,300 kids & adults impacted, including virtual engagement.
• 554 passengers flown by our Volunteer Pilots.
• 37 black-owned businesses have been utilized since inception.
• 10 free events annually, plus sponsorships & scholarships.
• All from a cumulative cost of $91K across the past 5 years.

Hemphill has been able to spread the impact beyond Brevard, expanding operations with annual youth exposure commitments in Tallahassee, Gainesville, Jacksonville, and Tampa. He’s received local and national recognition, including awards from the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association (AOPA), Melbourne Regional Chamber, Florida Today, and Tuskegee Airmen Incorporated.

Hemphill is a devoted husband to his wife Shannon Hemphill and a dedicated father to his four children, who have all racked up hours as highly enthused copilots.

He’s a life member of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity Incorporated, a former Grand Lecturer in Prince Hall Freemasonry, and serves on the Board of Directors for the Florida Tech Alumni Association, as he maintains an intentional focus on making aerospace more accessible to those who dare to embark on such a journey.