Tim Pohlad-Thomas, 36 / Outreach and Communications Specialist, RIDE Solutions
Tim Pohlad-Thomas serves the citizens of Roanoke as part of the Roanoke Valley-Alleghany Regional Commission daily, helping people save money and improve their quality of life with alternative forms of transportation. He is a 2018 Leadership Roanoke Valley graduate, Vice President of the Clean Valley Council board, a 5 Points Music Foundation board member, the Experience Outside Program Chair with Get2KnowNoke and the FloydFest Outdoor Adventure Director. A tireless advocate for our region, his passion for helping people and the environment combined with his love for the area has resulted in partnerships with Roanoke Parks and Recreation, Roanoke Stormwater, Roanoke Valley Preservation Foundation and others; this allows him to spread his love of Roanoke and the surrounding areas to as many people as possible through events like Clean Valley’s Rivefest, Night Rider’s Ball, RIDE’s yearly social rides and Roanoke GO Outside Festival. “With my event planning experience and my willingness to be involved in anything and everything I can, I have had the privilege of working with so many incredible organizations to help make Roanoke just a little more awesome,” he says.
- Leadership Roanoke Valley Graduate, Class of 2018
- Clean Valley Council Board Member – Vice President
- Experience Outside Program Chair at Get2KnowNoke
- Roanoke Go Outside Festival Planning Committee and On-site Staff, 2014 – Present
- Experience Planning Committee, July 2018 – Present
- Clean Valley’s Riverfest Planning Committee, March 2019 – Present
- Ferrum College President’s Innovation Team, August 2019 – Present
- 5 Points Music Foundation Board Member, September 2019 – Present
- Chair of the Experience Outside Planning Committee, September 2019 – Present
- Outdoor Adventure Director for FloydFest 2020, November 2019 – Present
From the Nomination: “As part of the Roanoke Valley-Alleghany Regional Commission, Tim Pohlad-Thomas serves the citizens of the Roanoke region from 9-5 everyday. However, he does not stop there. His commitment to improve the livability of the Roanoke region propels him to serve and volunteer in a number of other ways. He is everywhere! Leading volunteers at GO fest, putting on Experience conferences with Get2KnowNoke, managing festival events with Clean Valley Council and 5 Points Sanctuary, coordinating outdoor activities at Floyd Fest, and this is by no means an exhaustive list. Pohlad-Thomas is a tireless advocate for Roanoke. I asked him once, how are you connected to so many great things happening in Roanoke, his reply was, ‘I get asked to help, and I just say keep saying yes.’ When I think of young people in Roanoke that are truly making an impact, ‘TPT’ as he is sometimes called, is at the top of the list. Among ‘citizen leader’ circles, it is hard to find someone who does not already know or know of Tim, and have a positive impression. This year’s 40 under 40 class would simply be incomplete without him.”
What do you love about Roanoke?
Pohlad-Thomas: “There are so many things I love about Roanoke that it is hard to pick just one, but high on the list is how our entire community works together to solve problems, create incredible new experiences and share our love of this beautiful city with everyone who is willing to listen.”
How does your passion impact our community?
Pohlad-Thomas: “I have many passions in life which all stem from two things, helping people and helping the environment. In my work at RIDE Solutions I enjoy helping people save money and improve their quality of life by finding alternative forms of transportation. In my free time I get to work with incredible organizations like Clean Valley Council and 5 Points Music Foundation where I share my love of the environment and my love of music with those in and around the Roanoke Valley. …”
