Member profile: Rep. Roger Thomas
Roger Thomas is serving his fifth term in the Iowa House. He is Chair of the Economic Growth Committee and also serves on the Ways and Means, Local Government, and Veterans’ Affairs Committees as well as the Economic Development Subcommittee.
Roger Thomas and his wife, Rosemary live on the family farm west of Elkader. They have three grown children and four grandchildren.
Roger attended school in Strawberry Point and Elkader Schools and graduated from Valley Community School, Elgin in 1969. He entered the United States Air Force in 1969, during the Vietnam Era conflict. After serving honorably for over 6 years, he and his family returned to Iowa, to raise their children and started a business in Wadena. In 1980, Roger and family joined his parents, Art & Gladys Thomas, to operate the family livestock farm near Elkader, where they now reside. Along with farming, Roger enjoyed his employment as a transit driver for Northeast Iowa Community Action, a coordinator for RISE Development Center and a youth advisor for JTPA. Before serving in the legislature, he worked for the Central Community School District as a mechanic/bus driver for over 9 years. In 1996, Roger returned to college completing his degree graduating with honors from Upper Iowa University in Fayette with a Bachelor of Science in Public Administration. In recent years, Roger was the Project Director for Country Heritage Community and a business consultant for Iowa Workforce Development and now the Elkader Economic Development/Main Street Elkader Director.
Roger continues to demonstrate a strong commitment to the communities in his district. In past years, he has served with many volunteer organizations. Some of those were the American Legion as the Commander, fire chief and fireman of a local department, elected Trustee for Northeast Iowa Community College, elected board member for the Clayton County Extension Council, 4-H leader for over 5 years for the Worthwhile Club, President of the Northeast Iowa Emergency Medical Council, chairman of the local American Red Cross, and advisory board member of the National Ag Safety Center in Peosta. Roger currently serves on the Northeast Iowa Community College’s Foundation board helping students fund their education, along with other organizations including: Upper Explorerland Region Planning Commission, The Backbone Lake Friends, Clayton County REAP Committee, the Clay-Gar American Legion and over 26 years as a paramedic with the Central Ambulance Service.
House District 24 includes the counties of Clayton, Delaware and Fayette. In his service, Roger works endlessly to help the citizens of the district to resolve their problems. He is a tireless advocate for rural Iowa - always promoting educational excellence in Iowa’s schools and working to improve economic development opportunities.
