Mayor Vincent C. Gray Mourns Passing of Longtime DC Civic Leader Albert ‘Butch’ Hopkins, Jr.

WASHINGTON, DC) – Mayor Vincent C. Gray today expressed his sadness at the news that longtime Anacostia Economic Development Corporation (AEDC) President & CEO Albert “Butch” Hopkins, Jr. had passed away.

“Butch Hopkins played an important role in the economic development of the District of Columbia for nearly his entire career,” said Mayor Gray. “His contributions to the betterment of life for all people in the nation’s capital are innumerable, and his hometown will sorely miss him. My thoughts and prayers are with his family – and particularly his two children and six grandchildren – at this time of loss.”

Albert R. Hopkins, Jr. was born in the District on April 26, 1941 and graduated from Mackin Catholic High School. He received his bachelor’s degree in mathematics from Howard University and went to work as an engineer for Martin Marietta. He graduated from Howard University Law School with a J.D. in 1969.

Mr. Hopkins practiced law as a partner in the firm of Hopkins, Jones, Caldwell & Hopkins and later with the firm of Daniels, Roth, & Hopkins. He also worked as an attorney for the Federal Trade Commission. His association with AEDC started in 1969, when he became a business-development counselor. He was named the organization’s head in 1974.

He also served as the Secretary/Treasurer of the Eastcoast Development Corporation (EDC); as Executive Director of the Office of Business and Community Assistance, Inc. (OBCA); and as Senior Vice President for Development for the Owens Development Company, LLC, a real estate developer in the United States and the Caribbean.

Mr. Hopkins was instrumental in developing the Neighborhood Services Program (NSP) in Anacostia, serving as one of its original board members. He also served in many other non-profit and community roles, including as a founding member of the Black Entertainment and Sports Lawyers Association, the Anacostia Business Improvement District Corporation, the Washington DC Economic Partnership, the Friends of Fort Dupont Ice Arena, the Anacostia Coordinating Council, Main Street Anacostia, the Double Nickels Theatre Company, The New School for Enterprise and Economic Development Public Charter School, and The AEDC Scholarship Foundation.