In Memoriam: Brian Holmes

Brian R. Holmes, a respected transportation construction industry champion and policy expert, passed away May 15 at the age of 79, following a recent illness. Brian managed ARTBA’s affiliated chapters in Connecticut (1988-2001) and Maryland (2001-09), tirelessly advocating for his members in Hartford and Annapolis. Across those two decades, he also earned a national reputation for his mastery of arcane (yet critical) regulations affecting the planning and delivery of transportation projects.

With his keen intellect and voice worthy of a radio newscaster, Brian regularly testified for ARTBA before Congress and federal agencies. He also chaired the Council of State Executives in 1996, and was a fixture at the association’s conferences through the years.

Born in New York City, Brian and his family lived at various times in Westport, Connecticut; Paris and Strasbourg, France; and Beirut, Lebanon. Before graduating from McGill University in Montreal, he served the U.S. Army’s 101st Airborne Division as a Sergeant First Class in Vietnam. Brian later graduated from the Santa Clara University School of Law in California. He was fluent in French and German, while conversant in Spanish and Japanese as well.

A longtime resident of Baltimore, Brian’s survivors include his wife Eugenie (Nanie) Jenkins, sons Nathan and Peter, daughter Lucy, and two granddaughters. A celebration of life will be planned for a future date. The family suggests memorial contributions to The Baltimore Station, a residential treatment and transitional housing program for veterans, at 140 W. West St., Baltimore, MD 21230.

A generation of ARTBA members and staff remember Brian as a steadfast partner, original thinker, and – above all – joyful companion, no matter the venue or occasion. We send condolences to his family and loved ones at this difficult time.