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I am delighted to inform the MEP stakeholders and community that Carroll A. Thomas has been selected to serve as the next MEP Director after a full and open competition and a rigorous review process. Her selection is pending Department of Commerce (DoC) approval.
Carroll Thomas is currently the Associate Administrator, Office of Small Business Development Centers (SBDC), Small Business Administration (SBA). The SBDC is analogous to the MEP program; $114 million in federal funds support at least half of funding provided to 63 host organizations with over 4,200 expert business assistance counselors located at over 950 service centers in all 50 states and five U.S. territories. During her tenure at SBA Ms. Thomas established innovative grant policies, procedures and processes to oversee $20 million in Disaster Recovery Act funding for small business impacted by Superstorm Sandy.
Ms. Thomas serves as the principal SBA senior executive in a major partnership with the U.S. State Department Western Hemisphere Office; initiated an innovative pilot with the Mexican government to work with SBA cluster organizations and Small Business Technology Development Centers. Ms. Thomas is responsible for managing SBA’s relationship with the association which represents the SBDCs as well as leading the National SBDC Advisory Board. Ms. Thomas also serves on the SBA Executive Review Board which reviews all executive hiring decisions.
Prior to assuming her position at the SBA, Ms. Thomas worked at NIST-MEP from January 2000 to November 2012. During her tenure at NIST MEP, Ms. Thomas was a member of the Marketing and Communications Office responsible for numerous branding initiatives. She also worked in the Program Development Office and led major programs including starting the Interagency Network of Enterprise Assistance Providers (INEAP) and many of MEP’s technology acceleration activities.
In addition, Ms. Thomas held special assignments in the NIST Program Office, in the Office of the Secretary of Defense, DoC Office of Budget, and DoC’s Office of Policy and Strategic Planning. Ms. Thomas has received numerous Leadership and Performance Awards, including a Commerce Gold Medal, Silver Medal, and three NIST Uriano awards.
Prior to joining federal service Ms. Thomas had long career in the private and non-profit sectors. Ms. Thomas holds a Bachelor of Science from Drexel University and an MBA from the Johns Hopkins Carey School of Business.
Ms. Thomas will officially rejoin the NIST MEP program in the Spring of 2015 – official date to be announced shortly. Please join me in welcoming Carroll Thomas as the new MEP Director.
Phillip Singerman, Acting Director
