On April 3, 2018, Tim Thomas was sworn in as ARC’s twelfth federal co-chair. Nominated by President Donald Trump to represent the administration in ARC’s federal-state partnership model, Thomas brings more than 20 years’ experience working in Kentucky’s public and private sectors on infrastructure, workforce training, and regulatory issues. He most recently served on U.S. Senator Mitch McConnell’s state staff from 2015 to 2018. In that role, Thomas fostered deep partnerships with state and local officials, community leaders, and constituent groups to support economic and community development initiatives. Immediately preceding that post, Thomas was the director of external and regulatory affairs for Swift & Staley, a Kentucky-based maintenance, operations, and environmental services company that included federal and state agencies among its clients, such as the U.S. Departments of Energy and Agriculture.

Small business and entrepreneurship development, helping the Region economically adapt as the nation decreases its reliance on coal, and addressing the Region’s opioid and drug crisis are Thomas’ top priorities.