Allen M. Thomas

Allen M. Thomas was the mayor of Greenville, North Carolina from December 2011-July 2017,^[1][2] being first elected in 2011, reelected in 2013 and 2015. Thomas step down in July 2017 to take the position of Executive Director of the Global Transpark in Kinston, North Carolina that same month.^[3] This position was an appointment from North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper.

Education

Thomas attended East Carolina University in the late 1980's early 1990's. He successfully petitioned the Council of Governments for funding and authored the Eastern North Carolina Source Guide to Scholarships and Grants which was published for several years and sent to high school students across the state. As an undergraduate, he was elected as Student Body President at East Carolina University and worked as a liaison for the university with then-Mayor Nancy Jenkins and the Greenville City Council. Thomas received his undergraduate degree in Business Management from East Carolina University. Upon Graduation, he attended the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, where he received his Masters of Business Administration. Upon Graduation, Thomas volunteered for Governor Jim Hunt, and was eventually hired by the North Carolina Commerce department.

Political career

Thomas returned to Greenville, and in 2003 he was hired as a consultant by East Carolina University where he developed and created the “Purple Alert” system. This system organized thousands of East Carolina University alumni from a cross North Carolina to lobby their local senators and representatives to vote for the funding for the East Carolina Heart Institute in 2004. The Heart Hospital now stands at Vidant Medical Center in Greenville. This effort energized Allen to get more involved locally. He was appointed to the Greenville Board of Adjustment and then the Greenville Planning & Zoning Commission where he was elected Chairman.

Over the years, Thomas has served on the East Carolina Board of Trustees, Board of Visitors and the ECU Alumni Board. He was appointed by Governor Mike Easley to the North Carolina Senior Advisory Council for Economic Development. He was appointed as Commissioner by Governor Beverly Perdue to the 3-person panel overseeing the North Carolina Alcoholic Beverage Commission. Thomas also served on the Executive Council of Metro Mayors, an organization for the largest cities in North Carolina.

Thomas was elected as Mayor of Greenville in 2011, and served until July 2017, winning re-election in 2013 and 2015. During this time, he oversaw the rapid growth and expansion of the city, and the aftermath of Hurricane Matthew in October 2016. Thomas stepped down in July 2017, when he accepted an appointment to be the Executive Director of the Global Transpark. In his statement to the city council, Thomas said "It has been the greatest honor to serve the citizens of Greenville as mayor. I have poured my heart and soul into being a positive and engaged visible presence in our community. We have come a long way together since 2011, from the challenges of floods and great recessions to building economic growth, new highways and a vibrant center city with great momentum. It is a bittersweet day for me, but I am confident of our progress and I know Greenville is on a great trajectory. It is now time to redirect that energy to a role for eastern North Carolina. While this means a transition in public service, I am excited about the possibilities to work with leaders across the east to maximize our assets and build a solid economic foundation for generations of North Carolinians into the future." ^[3]

Personal life

Thomas is married, and has 3 children, 2 daughters and a son.

References