Thomas (Ted) Hume
B.S., Electrical Engineering, 1974
Induction year: 2025
Ted Hume’s work ethic, sense of community, even his engineering career can be traced to his childhood growing up on a farm outside Washington, D.C. “What shapes us as human beings is where we come from — our family, values, and experiences,” he said. “I grew up watching my parents do whatever was necessary to provide, and that taught me resilience and adaptability.” He also gained early experience tinkering with tractors, playing with walkie-talkies, and putting together a ham radio from a kit his parents gave him. “That really helped lead me to choose electrical engineering at Virginia Tech,” Hume said.
Hume’s upbringing and values made working for the government a natural fit, and he spent 32 years in public service before co-founding the defense and system engineering company Dominion Technology Resources in 2003. Recognizing the evolving challenges in national security, Hume and his wife, Karyn, established the Hume Center for National Security and Technology in 2010. “To be prepared to handle the changing landscape of threats to the United States, I knew we needed to invest in our students,” said Hume, who sees the center as his legacy. “They’re our future defenders.”
Professional roles:
- Independent Consultant, 2008-2015
- Co-founder, Dominion Technology Resources, Inc., 2003-2008
- Retired, Civil Service, United States Government, 1970-2002
Boards and committees:
- Chairman Emeritus, Advisory Board, National Security Institute, Virginia Tech
How did you decide what to major in at Virginia Tech?
As a child, my parents gave me a model kit of a ham radio that I put together and made work. I was always into walkie talkies and playing Army, as boys did in the 1950s and 60s. That really helped lead me to choose electrical engineering at Virginia Tech. Once in the degree, I enjoyed the labs and things we worked on.
What led you to your chosen profession?
I grew up watching my parents do whatever was necessary to provide, and that taught me resilience and adaptability. What shapes us as human beings is where we come from – our family, values, and experiences. My farm upbringing instilled a strong work ethic and sense of community. My upbringing and values made working for the government a natural fit. Public service became my calling.
What advice would you share with your younger self just starting off in your career?
The power of a team is key in your professional and personal life. Together you can achieve more and find new ways of doing things that you wouldn’t find on your own. Each person has a role to play and you have to build trust in others to move forward for success of the team.
What do you want your legacy to be?
Creating the Ted and Karyn Hume Center for National Security and Technology is an opportunity for us to serve now and on into the future. I’ve seen the critical need for national security evolve tremendously over the course of my lifetime. Through the center students get handson, individualized education with the opportunity to solve real-world problems. To be prepared to handle the changing landscape of threats to the United States, I knew we needed to invest in our students – they’re our future defenders.
Please note: Inductee spotlight is as of the year of their induction.