Noel Mayo facts for kids

Noel Mayo, born on December 30, 1937, is a famous American industrial designer. He started the very first industrial design company owned by an African American. His company, Noel Mayo Associates, created designs for big names like IBM, NASA, and the National Museum of American Jewish History.

Noel Mayo's Early Life

Noel Mayo was born in Orange, New Jersey, on December 30, 1937. His parents were Noel and Blanche Mayo. As a child, he moved quite a bit. In middle school, he went to a special boarding school. It was called Sunnycrest Farm for Negro Boys in Cheney, Pennsylvania.

When he was in high school, Noel worked at an art store. The owner let him borrow any art books he liked. This is how he first learned about industrial design. He went to the Philadelphia College of Art, which is now called the University of the Arts. In 1960, he made history. He was the first Black person to earn an industrial design degree from that college.

Noel Mayo's Design Career

During his third year of college, Noel Mayo's professor, Joseph Carreiro, hired him. Professor Carreiro was the head of the design department. He hired Noel to work at his company, Carreiro/Sklaroff Design Associates.

When the owners went on a long vacation, Noel was trusted to run the whole office. After he graduated in 1964, he bought the company. He then changed its name to Noel Mayo Associates.

Noel Mayo Associates' Work

Under Noel Mayo's leadership, Noel Mayo Associates worked with many different clients. These clients came from all kinds of industries. Some big names included the Departments of Commerce and Agriculture. They also worked with the IRS, NASA, IBM, and the Philadelphia International Airport.

Other clients were Black+Decker and the National Museum of American Jewish History. Noel Mayo Associates designed many things. This included interiors for homes, airports, and offices. They also designed furniture, electronics, lighting, and signs. They even created products, packaging, and graphics.

Noel Mayo had a long partnership with the Lutron Electronics company. This partnership lasted for 45 years. During this time, his name appeared on over 250 design patents. He also had 27 utility patents. Many of these were for light switches and dimmers.

Education and Community Service

Noel Mayo became the chairperson of the industrial design department. This was at the Philadelphia College of Art.

In 1989, Ohio State University gave Noel Mayo a special title. He was named the Ohio Eminent Scholar in Art and Design Technology. He taught a course called Professional Practices at the school for 20 years.

Noel Mayo also served in many important roles. He was president of the Philadelphia Economic Council. He was also president of the Philadelphia Community Development Corporation. He advised MetroBank of Philadelphia. He also served as a commissioner for the Philadelphia Art Commission.

He was on the board of directors for the University of the Arts. He also served on the board for the Philadelphia Free Library.

In 1981, he received an honorary D.F.A. degree. This was from the Massachusetts College of Art.

Noel Mayo created a list of minority professionals in design. He also started several mentoring programs. These programs helped minorities working in design. In 2020, he set up the Noel Mayo Scholarship Fund. This fund helps students at the University of the Arts.