Mr. Thomas assumed the duties of the Director, Shore Infrastructure Bill Execution Program in February of 2023. He provides executive level leadership and management, strategic planning, and resource oversight, and serves as the principal advisor to the Assistant Commandant for Engineering and Logistics (CG-4) and senior Coast Guard leadership for the Coast Guard’s civil engineering efforts. In this capacity, he is responsible for establishing innovative and synchronized approaches to managing engineering, environmental, energy, and information technology projects for shore construction as well as ensuring sound program management practices and principles are used throughout the Coast Guard engineering programs in executing shore infrastructure projects. Additionally, he provides direction to the leadership of the Civil Engineering Program related to current and future planning, and execution of the Infrastructure Bill and provides executive level coordination with Areas, Districts, and Headquarters Directorates to establish and maintain operational requirements, investment priorities to facilitate decision making and action to ensure program execution in a timely and appropriate manner.
He was most recently detailed as the Acting Deputy Assistant Commandant for Engineering and Logistics (CG-4D), responsible for overseeing all aeronautical, civil, naval, and industrial engineering, including logistics, environmental, and energy management programs for the Coast Guard's 2,100 cutters and boats, 200 aircraft, and $24 billion capital plant consisting of 25,000 facilities. His duties as Acting CG-4D also included the execution of a $1 billion annual budget and leading a 5,600 personnel workforce assigned across Coast Guard Headquarters, the Aviation Logistics Center (ALC), the Shore Infrastructure Logistics Center (SILC), the Surface Forces Logistics Center (SFLC), and the Coast Guard Yard. Prior to the detail to CG-43 he served as the Chief of Business Transformation in the Mission Support Integration Office to the Deputy Commandant for Mission Support (DCMS). In this role he maintained Technical Authority over the Coast Guard Mission Support Business Model, was the Executive Secretary for the Engineering Technical Authority Council and a key change agent across the Mission Support organization. Prior to Coast Guard Civil Service, Mr. Thomas supported the Coast Guard’s In Service Vessel Sustainment Program as a contractor where he leveraged his extensive experience on the management and business processes associated with defense contractors and directly supported both Major and Non-Major Acquisitions, including the 270’ WMEC, 140’ WTGB, CGC Polar Star, and CGC Eagle Service Life Extension Projects (SLEP) as well as numerous Major Maintenance Availabilities across the surface fleet.
Mr. Thomas enlisted in the Coast Guard in 1981, was commissioned in 1990, and retired in 2017 at the rank of Captain. He served as the Executive Officer of ALC, the Engineering and Logistics Division Chief for the Deployable Operations Group/Deployable Specialized Forces, Office Chief of Research, Development, Test & Evaluation, and Innovation, and Boats Acquisition Program Manager. During his military career, he was a designated as an Aeronautical Engineer, a Flight Instructor, and a Maintenance Test Pilot.
Mr. Thomas holds a Master of Science in Quality Systems Management with a specialization in Homeland Security, a Bachelor of Science in Applied Science and Technology and earned DHS certifications in Project and Program Management and Test and Evaluation.