| CHRIS THOMAS....CLASS OF 1964 | | RECOUNTS A FUN FILLED LIFE THAT FINDS HIM NOW LIVING IN PANAMA (NOT THE BEACH, BUT THE COUNTRY) |
| CHRIS' CONTACT INFORMATION: EMAIL---"Chris@christopherfthomas.com"... USA CELL PHONE----636-675-4109.. |
| DURING ALL OF MY WORK-RELATED CAREER I HAVE BEEN PARTICIPATING AS A COMPETITOR AND AS AN OFFICIAL IN THE SHOOTING SPORTS WITH THE USPSA (UNITED STATES PRACTICAL SHOOTING ASSOCIATION) AND IPSC (INTERNATIONAL PRACTICAL SHOOTING CONFEDERATION) AROUND THE WORLD. I AM AN INTERNATIONAL RANGE OFFICIAL, WHICH IS HOW I HAVE ENDED UP IN PANAMA....(BELOW IS A PICTURE OF CHRIS AND HIS GRANDSON WITH A COUPLE OF 'SCALY' FRIENDS.....AND ON THE RIGHT A VIEW OF HIS CASA....) |
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| ...FIRST, A LITTLE BACKGROUND ON CHRIS' TIME AT HORN LAKE HIGH.... HE GREW UP AN ARMY 'BRAT'.....HIS DAD WAS STATIONED ALL OVER EUROPE, ASIA, AND THE USA. HE HAD SOME YEARS WHERE THE FAMILY MOVED THREE TIMES WITHIN THE YEAR.....CONSEQUENTLY, BY THE TIME HE ARRIVED AT HORN LAKE, HE HAD ATTENDED 17 DIFFERENT SCHOOLS...HORN LAKE WAS BY FAR THE SMALLEST IN SIZE AND 'IT WAS AN ADJUSTMENT FOR SURE, BUT A HAPPY ONE AS IT TURNED OUT' (HIS WORDS.) |
| THE KEEPER OF THIS WEBSITE FOUND THESE TWO PARTS OF HIS EXPERIENCE TO BE OF PARTICULAR INTEREST.....CHRIS REMEMBERS A CLASSMATE WHO WAS IN THE WORK/STUDY PROGRAM WHO BECAME A PILOT AND FLEW OUT OF WALLS, MS. THAT PERSON MOTIVATED HIM TO AN INTEREST IN AVIATION......HE ALSO REMEMBERS A GUIDANCE COUNSELOR WHO TOLD HIM THAT HE WAS NOT COLLEGE MATERIAL.....THAT COMMENT INSPIRED HIM TO PROVE THAT PERSON WRONG!....IT WAS WHAT I NEEDED TO HEAR EVEN IF I DIDN'T KNOW IT AT THE TIME.(HIS WORDS) |
| ...NOW, CHRIS' STORY IN HIS OWN WORDS..... |
| AFTER GRADUATING FROM HLHS I MOVED TO CALIFORNIA AND LIVED IN A 'HIPPY' COMMUNITY FOR A WHILE.....THEN 1966 FOUND ME AS A US ARMY ENLISTEE ON MY WAY TO A TOUR IN VIET NAM.....THERE I SERVED WITH THE 187th AHC (ATTACK HELICOPTER CREW) IN 1967-68 AND WAS THERE FOR THE TET OFFENSIVE....FROM VIET NAM ON TO GERMANY WHERE I SERVED WITH ANOTHER AVIATION HELICOPTER COMPANY.... |
| UPON MY MILITARY DISCHARGE I RETURNED TO THE MEMPHIS AREA WHERE I EARNED MY DEGREE FROM MEMPHIS STATE IN 1974.....I TAUGHT JOURNALISM....ADVERTISING...AND PUBLIC RELATIONS CLASSES THERE FOR THREE YEARS....ALSO WORKED IN FOOD AND LODGING PUBLIC RELATIONS FOR THE HOLIDAY INN CORP. |
| THEN ON TO NEW ORLEANS WHERE I WAS A REGIONAL ADVERTISING MANAGER FOR THE McDONALDS CORPORATE CHAIN....FROM THERE TO ST. LOUIS WHERE I WAS THE NATIONAL FIELD MARKETING DIRECTOR FOR THE HARDEES RESTAURANT CHAIN....MY NEXT CAREER MOVE TOOK ME TO COLUMBUS, OHIO WHERE I WAS THE NATIONAL MARKETING DIRECTOR FOR WHITE CASTLE RESTAURANTS... |
| A LATER MOVE TOOK ME TO FORT LAUDERDALE, FL. WHERE I FOCUSED ON AUTOMOTIVE ADVERTISING ACCOUNTS FOR OMNICOM - ZIMMERMAN ADVERTISING COMPANY, THE WORLDS LARGEST ADVERTISING AGENCY.....THEN IT WAS BACK TO ST. LOUIS WHERE I WAS A PARTNER IN AN AUTOMOTIVE ADVERTISING AGENCY-----BORGMEYER AND ASSOCIATES...FINALLY, AFTER A STINT WITH ANOTHER AUTOMOTIVE MARKETING SERVICES ADVERTISING AGENCY, I COMPLETED MY PROFESSIONAL CAREER... |
| (A NOTE FROM THE KEEPER OF THE WEBSITE) CHRIS MAY NOT HAVE BEEN A PART OF THE HORN LAKE HIGH EAGLES FOR LONG....A COUPLE OF YEARS.... BUT HE IS TO BE COMMENDED FOR HIS SACRIFICIAL MILITARY SERVICE IN SUPPORT OF OUR NATION, AND HE HAS CERTAINLY BEEN A SUCCESS IN THE CORPORATE WORLD....GLAD YOUR JOURNEY BROUGHT YOU OUR WAY AND HOPE THAT YOUR TIME WITH US CONTRIBUTED TO YOUR WELFARE IN LIFE.....ALSO, HOPE YOU WILL KEEP IN TOUCH.... |
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