Thomas Wideman was born and raised in Greenville, South Carolina, in the grip of poverty. Various experiences in his youth forced him to mature fast. In those critical moments, he decided to rise above his circumstances through academic achievement. In addition to an average GPA, he also served as student body vice president and starting cornerback on the varsity football team. These ventures served as positive distractions from at-home struggles and leverage on college applications. Focus and intentionality were key.

Before 18, he’d already decided what he wanted out of life and what it would require. So, after graduating high school, he joined the U.S. Army Reserve as a Chemical Operations Specialist. From there, he was able to graduate from the University of South Carolina with a BS in Chemical Engineering and from Georgia State University with an MBA in Finance.  Best of all, he graduated with little to no student loan debt remaining.  He also attained a Project Management Professional (PMP) Certification, received Electric Power Research Institute’s (EPRI)Technology Transfer Award, and served as the Chair of the Air and Waste Management Association – Georgia Chapter.

His memoir, Welfare Cheese to Fine Caviar, shares his most transformative life experiences and learned lessons to help fulfill his mission of improving society one person at a time. After all, the willingness to be open and honest is one of the most powerful agents of change.

When he isn’t working, Thomas enjoys spending quality time with his wife, Melanie, a civil engineer and owner of A Little Slice of Heaven Bakery, and their two sons, Isaiah and Noah.