He began to demonstrate unusually bright entrepreneurial qualities at an early age, and while he was a student at Mabank High School, he founded and published a newspaper known as Cedar Creek Briefs.
Based on this newspaper, he entered a high school entrepreneur contest sponsored by Johnson & Wales University in Providence, Rhode Island.
He was employed for several years at Coastway Credit Union, where he worked in various positions, including SBA loan generation and as a personal assistant to the President, Reynolds German.
He immediately moved from Rhode Island to Gun Barrel City, Texas, where he had purchased a lakeside condominium several months prior.
[3] The first few months of Thomas' administration were marked by significant accomplishment, widespread support, and tremendous local, state, and national media attention.
The Gun Barrel City Council voted at one point to allow the local hospital to raise the cost of an ambulance ride by $200.00, and Thomas vetoed their decision.
He was elected during the Fifth Congressional District caucus to this position while serving as a delegate to the State Republican Convention, defeating one unknown opponent.
Community support began to diminish when Henderson County, Texas District Attorney Donna R. Bennett launched an investigation focusing on Thomas.
The indictment alleged that Thomas lied under oath about how long he had been a resident of Gun Barrel City so he could be eligible to run for Mayor.
Finally, then Police Chief David McCoy ordered the responding officers to arrest the Mayor, stating that he believed Thomas was "a danger to himself and others".
It was reported in a local newspaper that Judge Blaylock immediately traveled at least thirty miles to the Henderson County Jail in Athens, Texas, and arrived at approximately 3:00 am.
Thomas claimed the stress of the Grand Jury investigation caused him to drink alcohol frequently and abuse Xanax.
There were approximately 100 people in attendance at the press conference, including every television station from Dallas and Tyler and all regional newspapers.
Thomas moved to the Dallas County, Texas, area in 2002, where he found employment teaching business courses at small colleges.
He and his wife, Catherine, to whom he was engaged while he served as Mayor and eventually married in 2003, were granted a divorce in Dallas County, Texas in November 2005.