Thomas Fowlkes is an attorney and business professional who resides in Bristol, Virginia. Fowlkes began his legal career as a clerk with the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit in Ackerman, Mississippi. After serving as an attorney at Penn Stuart, he went on to become general counsel, senior vice president and eventually president of The United Company in Bristol, Virginia. 

Currently, Fowlkes is an independent consultant to the North Carolina State Treasurer. Before his consulting role, Fowlkes also held a variety of positions at Emory & Henry College in Emory, Virginia including vice president for institutional advancement, chief development director, athletic director and assistant professor of business. 

In addition to his membership on the Commonwealth Transportation Board, Fowlkes’ memberships have included the Virginia State Bar, the Mississippi State Bar Association, the Johnston Memorial Hospital Community Board and the Millsaps College Board of Trustees. Fowlkes is also an assistant scoutmaster for Troop 222 of the Boy Scouts of America and a Sunday school teacher at the State Street United Methodist Church in Bristol. 

His past civic contributions include serving on the board of directors for the Virginia Economic Development Partnership, the board of trustees for the Barter Foundation and as campaign chair for the United Way. 

Fowlkes has received numerous awards and recognitions including the Silver Beaver and Silver Eagle Award by the Boy Scouts of America, the Algernon Sydney Sullivan Award by King College, the Tom Chase Award by Mountain State Health Alliance and the Charter Day Award by Emory & Henry College. 

Fowlkes earned a Bachelor of Arts from Millsaps College in Jackson, Mississippi and a Juris Doctorate from the University of Virginia in Charlottesville, Virginia. Fowlkes and his wife Donna have three children and three grandchildren.

Contact Tom Fowlkes at Tom.Fowlkes@ctb.virginia.gov