Kenneth Thomas
Encyclopedia
Kenneth Thomas was Chief Financial Officer
of the United States Chess Federation
from April 23 to December 31, 2004. He took over the position of CFO of the USCF during a period of great financial distress, with the USCF
having lost money seven years in a row, with total losses amounting to $1.7 million. He was hired by Bill Goichberg
. Because the USCF was in severe financial difficulty, he agreed to work for far below the normal salary. He restored the federation to profitability and financial solvency.
Ken Thomas was born in Mead, Oklahoma
during the great Dust Bowl
. Three of his siblings died of starvation and Ken nearly died as well. After World War II
, Ken with his family moved to New Jersey
. He graduated from Bound Brook High School
there.
Kenneth Thomas served in the US Army, Ordnance Corps
from 1961 to 1964 as a sergeant
. He worked in nuclear weapon
assembly. He worked in the Nuclear Weapons Laboratory in Sandia Base
, near Albuquerque
, New Mexico
. He was a mechanic in the internal workings of Nuclear Weapons.
Later he was transferred to Lüdenscheid
, West Germany
, and attached to the German army, the Bundesvehr where he worked on secret weapons in the British Sector. He speaks German
. He traveled all over Western Europe
arming and disarming nuclear weapons. He also played chess there and twice participated in the European Army Championships in Kaiserslautern
, Germany
.
After completing his military service, he graduated from the University of Houston
in 1972 with a Bachelor of Business Administration
and from that school's Five-year Professional Program (now MBA) in 1974. He bought a home in Hackettstown, New Jersey
, where he lives today. He founded the Hackettstown Chess Club in September, 1972.
Long an active chess organizer, tournament director, and tournament player, he has been Editor of Atlantic Chess News and a member of the Board of Directors of the New Jersey Chess Federation. He is currently the Treasurer of the NJSCF. Mr. Thomas was an auditor for Litton Industries
and Thomas & Betts
and later was Controller for Visiting Health Service of Morris County, New Jersey
and Controller for Family Intervention Services of South Orange, New Jersey
. He was an Adjunct Professor and the Accounting Manager and Director of Planned Giving and taught Managerial Accounting and Internal Accounting courses at Centenary College
of Hackettstown, NJ.
Chief financial officer
The chief financial officer or Chief financial and operating officer is a corporate officer primarily responsible for managing the financial risks of the corporation. This officer is also responsible for financial planning and record-keeping, as well as financial reporting to higher management...
of the United States Chess Federation
United States Chess Federation
The United States Chess Federation is a non-profit organization, the governing chess organization within the United States, and one of the federations of the FIDE. The USCF was founded in 1939 from the merger of two regional chess organizations, and grew gradually until 1972, when membership...
from April 23 to December 31, 2004. He took over the position of CFO of the USCF during a period of great financial distress, with the USCF
United States Chess Federation
The United States Chess Federation is a non-profit organization, the governing chess organization within the United States, and one of the federations of the FIDE. The USCF was founded in 1939 from the merger of two regional chess organizations, and grew gradually until 1972, when membership...
having lost money seven years in a row, with total losses amounting to $1.7 million. He was hired by Bill Goichberg
Bill Goichberg
William "Bill" Goichberg is a rated chess master and is the former President of the United States Chess Federation. He was elected USCF President on August 14, 2005. He is a USCF Life Master and a FIDE Master, National Tournament Director and International Arbiter of FIDE...
. Because the USCF was in severe financial difficulty, he agreed to work for far below the normal salary. He restored the federation to profitability and financial solvency.
Ken Thomas was born in Mead, Oklahoma
Mead, Oklahoma
Mead is a town in Bryan County, Oklahoma, United States. The population was 123 at the 2000 census. Mead has seen very slow growth in recent years due to its proximity to Lake Texoma and the fast growing town of Durant.-Geography:...
during the great Dust Bowl
Dust Bowl
The Dust Bowl, or the Dirty Thirties, was a period of severe dust storms causing major ecological and agricultural damage to American and Canadian prairie lands from 1930 to 1936...
. Three of his siblings died of starvation and Ken nearly died as well. After World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, Ken with his family moved to New Jersey
New Jersey
New Jersey is a state in the Northeastern and Middle Atlantic regions of the United States. , its population was 8,791,894. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York, on the southeast and south by the Atlantic Ocean, on the west by Pennsylvania and on the southwest by Delaware...
. He graduated from Bound Brook High School
Bound Brook High School
Bound Brook High School is a comprehensive community public high school that serves students in ninth through twelfth grades from Bound Brook, in Somerset County, New Jersey, United States, as part of the Bound Brook School District....
there.
Kenneth Thomas served in the US Army, Ordnance Corps
Ordnance Corps
The United States Army Ordnance Corps is a Sustainment branch of the United States Army, headquartered at Fort Lee, Virginia.-Mission Statement:The U.S...
from 1961 to 1964 as a sergeant
Sergeant
Sergeant is a rank used in some form by most militaries, police forces, and other uniformed organizations around the world. Its origins are the Latin serviens, "one who serves", through the French term Sergent....
. He worked in nuclear weapon
Nuclear weapon
A nuclear weapon is an explosive device that derives its destructive force from nuclear reactions, either fission or a combination of fission and fusion. Both reactions release vast quantities of energy from relatively small amounts of matter. The first fission bomb test released the same amount...
assembly. He worked in the Nuclear Weapons Laboratory in Sandia Base
Sandia Base
Sandia Base was, from 1946 to 1971, the principal nuclear weapons installation of the United States Department of Defense. It was located on the southeastern edge of Albuquerque, New Mexico...
, near Albuquerque
Albuquerque, New Mexico
Albuquerque is the largest city in the state of New Mexico, United States. It is the county seat of Bernalillo County and is situated in the central part of the state, straddling the Rio Grande. The city population was 545,852 as of the 2010 Census and ranks as the 32nd-largest city in the U.S. As...
, New Mexico
New Mexico
New Mexico is a state located in the southwest and western regions of the United States. New Mexico is also usually considered one of the Mountain States. With a population density of 16 per square mile, New Mexico is the sixth-most sparsely inhabited U.S...
. He was a mechanic in the internal workings of Nuclear Weapons.
Later he was transferred to Lüdenscheid
Lüdenscheid
Lüdenscheid is a town in the Märkischer Kreis district, in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. It is located in the Sauerland region. Lüdenscheid is seat of the administration of the Märkischer Kreis district...
, West Germany
West Germany
West Germany is the common English, but not official, name for the Federal Republic of Germany or FRG in the period between its creation in May 1949 to German reunification on 3 October 1990....
, and attached to the German army, the Bundesvehr where he worked on secret weapons in the British Sector. He speaks German
German language
German is a West Germanic language, related to and classified alongside English and Dutch. With an estimated 90 – 98 million native speakers, German is one of the world's major languages and is the most widely-spoken first language in the European Union....
. He traveled all over Western Europe
Western Europe
Western Europe is a loose term for the collection of countries in the western most region of the European continents, though this definition is context-dependent and carries cultural and political connotations. One definition describes Western Europe as a geographic entity—the region lying in the...
arming and disarming nuclear weapons. He also played chess there and twice participated in the European Army Championships in Kaiserslautern
Kaiserslautern
Kaiserslautern is a city in southwest Germany, located in the Bundesland of Rhineland-Palatinate at the edge of the Palatinate forest . The historic centre dates to the 9th century. It is from Paris, from Frankfurt am Main, and from Luxembourg.Kaiserslautern is home to 99,469 people...
, Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
.
After completing his military service, he graduated from the University of Houston
University of Houston
The University of Houston is a state research university, and is the flagship institution of the University of Houston System. Founded in 1927, it is Texas's third-largest university with nearly 40,000 students. Its campus spans 667 acres in southeast Houston, and was known as University of...
in 1972 with a Bachelor of Business Administration
Bachelor of Business Administration
The Bachelor of Business Administration is a bachelor's degree in Commerce and business administration. In most universities, the degree is conferred upon a student after four years of full-time study in one or more areas of business concentrations; see below...
and from that school's Five-year Professional Program (now MBA) in 1974. He bought a home in Hackettstown, New Jersey
Hackettstown, New Jersey
Hackettstown is a town in Warren County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the town population was 9,724. The town is located in the eastern most region of the Lehigh Valley....
, where he lives today. He founded the Hackettstown Chess Club in September, 1972.
Long an active chess organizer, tournament director, and tournament player, he has been Editor of Atlantic Chess News and a member of the Board of Directors of the New Jersey Chess Federation. He is currently the Treasurer of the NJSCF. Mr. Thomas was an auditor for Litton Industries
Litton Industries
Named after inventor Charles Litton, Sr., Litton Industries was a large defense contractor in the United States, bought by the Northrop Grumman Corporation in 2001.-History:...
and Thomas & Betts
Thomas & Betts
Thomas & Betts is a designer and manufacturer of connectors and components for electrical and communication markets. Thomas & Betts is notable as the inventor of cable ties in 1958...
and later was Controller for Visiting Health Service of Morris County, New Jersey
Morris County, New Jersey
Morris County is a county located in the U.S. state of New Jersey, about west of New York City. According to the United States 2010 Census, the population was 492,276. It is part of the New York Metropolitan Area. Its county seat is Morristown....
and Controller for Family Intervention Services of South Orange, New Jersey
South Orange, New Jersey
-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 16,964 people, 5,522 households, and 3,766 families residing in the township. The population density was 5,945.3 people per square mile . There were 5,671 housing units at an average density of 1,987.5 per square mile...
. He was an Adjunct Professor and the Accounting Manager and Director of Planned Giving and taught Managerial Accounting and Internal Accounting courses at Centenary College
Centenary College of New Jersey
Centenary College was founded in 1867 by the Newark Conference of the United Methodist Church. Centenary has evolved from a coeducational preparatory school to a girls' preparatory school , to a Junior college for women , to a four-year women's college , to a coeducational...
of Hackettstown, NJ.