Pioneering industrial designer and scholar Dr. Noel Mayo has passed away at the age of 88. The Ohio State University’s Department of Design, housed in its College of Arts and Sciences, noted in 2016 when Mayo retired that he was the owner and president of Noel Mayo Associates Inc., the first African American industrial design firm in the United States.
During his pathbreaking career, Mayo designed telephones, seating, desks, lighting, wayfinding systems, fixtures, offices, stores, and restaurants. Among other achievements, he was the first African American chair of an industrial design program in the United States. In 1989, Mayo was named the Ohio Eminent Scholar in Art and Design Technology at The Ohio State University, where he taught product and graphic design. 
In a statement, Ohio State’s Department of Design noted that beyond his numerous professional achievements, Mayo “was a fierce advocate for diversity, access, and mentoring within design education. He actively supported students facing social, financial, or cultural barriers, helping many achieve academic success when they thought it impossible. His commitment extended to establishing mentoring programs and professional networks for minority designers nationwide.”
In 2021, Ohio State alumni funded the Mayo Peer-to-Peer Mentoring Program, further cementing his legacy. Mayo was a graduate of the Philadelphia College of Art, later chairing its Industrial Design program.
