About James P. DeLong

In memory of James P. DeLong

BSME 1963, UMR

After graduating from UMR, James joined DeLong’s, Inc., a small steel fabrication and steel joist manufacturing company that his two older brothers had started from his father’s blacksmith shop after WW II. In order to expand, James opened a sales office in Denver, Colo., which increased sales in the west by 400%. He moved back to Jefferson City and took over the purchasing department. He also ran the production and plant engineering functions for the company. The company developed other product lines to include stainless steel refractory anchors and corrugated metal culvert pipe, as well as steel bridges. James increased steel bridge sales to 20 states, and it is now their single largest business. James became a corporate officer and director bringing DeLong’s to one of the 50 companies in the U.S. with the highest national certification in steel bridge fabrication.

James was one of the founders of the National Steel Bridge Alliance, an organization of steel bridge manufacturers and steel producers. He was selected by the Rotary Foundation for Business and Profession to participate in a men’s group study exchange to study business and culture in England for three months. James is the past director of the Jefferson City Chamber of Commerce; chairman of the committee on transportation infrastructure; chairman of Cole County Fair; and past director of Jefferson City YMCA. James enjoys travel, stamp collecting, and gardening. He has four children: Michelle, and Lisa, who attended UMR and was runner-up for St. Patrick’s queen, James, and Anthony.