Leadership & Community Development Consulting Services

The City of Akron, Ohio has employed Thomas since October 1989. In May of 2023, Thomas was appointed as Director of Planning and Urban Development for the City of Akron. Previously, he served as Division Manager for the Department of Neighborhood Services. Thomas has also worked as Housing Rehabilitation, Senior City Planner with several neighborhood-planning initiatives including the revitalization of neighborhoods throughout the city. Thomas was appointed by Mayor Donald L. Plusquellic to serve on the Summit County Abandoned & Vacant Property Task Force. Thomas excels in community development, project planning & evaluation and leadership development. He retired from the City of Akron at the end of 2023 to pursue other opportunities.

Thomas serves on the boards for Alpha Phi Alpha Homes, Inc. (www.alphahomes.org). He is credited as a Co-Executive Producer for the PBS Emmy winning documentary, “An Answer from Akron”, which discusses the history of Alpha Phi Alpha Homes, Inc. He served as Chairman for the 2018 Development, Revitalization and Private Public Partnership Conference to be held in Akron in October. Thomas has also served on the National Alumni Board for the University of Akron. Mr. Tatum served as the Chairman for the Board of the Northeast Ohio Four County Regional Planning Organization (NEFCO). Mr. Tatum also serves as an Advisor to the Akron Realtists Association. Thomas is a Board member of the Development Fund of the Western Reserve. Mr. Tatum served as the Headquarters Commission Chairman for Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. He also serves as the Executive Advisor for Community Development Advisor to the General President of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc., Dr. Willis W. Lonzer III. Thomas is also co-creator of the Alpha Real Estate Summit scheduled for January, 2024, (www.alpharealestatesummit.com).

Thomas volunteers several community organizations including Event Chairman for the 2008-12 & 2019 Akron Area March of Dimes March for Babies. Mr. Tatum is a two-time recipient of the President’s Award (2010 & 2011) for the March of Dimes; over the past few years Tatum and his team helped contribute to the raising of over $500,000. Tatum has received local recognition receiving the 2009 University of Akron Greek Alumni Service Award and the 2009 Harold K. Stubbs Humanitarian Award for Service in Government. A member of the Leadership Akron Class of 2000, Thomas is an active public speaker about leadership, community and economic development, and community empowerment through research, education and courage. Thomas is the recipient of the 2014 March of Dimes Franklin Delano Roosevelt Humanitarian Award of Excellence. Thomas has been selected as a recipient of the 2015 Distinguished Alumni Award for the University of Akron, Office of Multicultural Development. In 2018, Thomas launched the Tatum Endeavor Group, LLC, specializing in community, economic and leadership development consulting. In January of 2024, Thomas was co-creator of the Real Estate and Development Summit held in Nashville, Tennessee. He is coordinating Real Estate Summit 2 that will be held in Charlotte, North Carolina in November, 2024. He currently serves on the board for the Ohio Conference of Community Development.

Of all his titles, the most important are Son to the late Thomas and Bertha Tatum, Brother to the late Timothy A. Tatum, Husband to the former Milistine Delaney, and Father to Lauren Selena and Thomas II.