A Run for Mayor by a Friend of the Desi Community
By Jawahar Malhotra
Last Updated: June 06, 2008

Jim and Gay Thompson (far right) with their family, (from left) daughter Tara and her husband Jaison Williams; son Michael with his wife Katie; and daughter Meredith. Jim Thompson is a Houston-area native and has lived in Sugar Land for the past 30 years.

SUGAR LAND – Over the past 4 years, the vast majority of desis in this bustling and growing Fort Bend County town have become familiar with James Thompson, who likes to go by Jimmy. He has attended several events, like Diwali last year and Jumah afternoon prayer meetings at the local mosque.

“It has been a great learning experience for me,” said Thompson, “and a positive one. The more you meet people, the more the barriers and prejudices go down.”

Thompson, a former Sugar Land At-Large Council Member, Position 1, is in a run off as mayor of Sugar Land in the June 21 election. In the primary election, he received 45.2% of the votes while his runoff opponent, Daniel Wong received 34%. Early voting starts June 9 through 17.

Thompson has served in many different public service roles – voluntary, appointed and elected – during his 30 years as a Sugar Land resident. He was the first resident-elected board member of Fort Bend Municipal Utility District #12. He then was appointed by the Fort Bend County Commissioner’s Court to Fort Bend Levee Improvement District #2, where he served 15 years.

Thompson served on the Sugar Land City Council, from 1996 to 2005, both as a District and At-Large council member. He was instrumental in many achievements, such as the upgrade and expansion of Highway 59; improvements of Eldridge; creation of Town Square; development of the Sugar Land Regional Airport into a state-recognized facility; numerous additions to the city park system, including Oyster Creek, Eldridge and Imperial parks; acquisition of the land for the Brazos River Corridor; and establishment of the University of Houston campus in Sugar Land.

In 2005, Governor Rick Perry appointed Thompson to the Board of Regents for Stephen F. Austin State University, currently as vice chair. He also serves on the Board of Directors for Memorial Hermann Sugar Land healthcare system.

“South Asians are a well-educated community and want to be engaged in the political process,” he said, “They want some to invite them into the process.” Thompson sees many opportunities for South Asians to serve on Committees and Boards and wants the representation to reflect the city’s diversity. Through his role as vice chair for the Board of Regents, he believes he can influence the selection of South Asians on a state level. And he values the input of South Asians in the development of multi-modal transportation – such as trams – to connect the bustling major nodes of Sugar Land like Town Square, Imperial Sugar Park and the airport.

A native Texan, Thompson is a graduate of Bellaire High School in Houston and Stephen F. Austin State University. He is an Air Force veteran, having served for nine years. He and his wife, Gay, have been married for 37 years and moved to Fort Bend County in 1978. Thompson is founder and president of TEAM Associates, a manufacturer’s representative sales agency servicing the industrial and contractors supply distributors in Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas, and Louisiana.
Asked how he thought South Asians could help Sugar Land, Thompson replied without hesitation. “They already have, and have exemplified this in the way they have brought out-going Mayor David Wallace into their midst,” he explained. “But it is a two-way street, and we can both do so much more.”

For additional information or to sign up as a volunteer, contribute or make comments, visit www.thompsonforslmayor.com