June 30, 2004

Marta Metelko 
Headquarters, Washington 
(Phone: 202/358-1642)

RELEASE: 04-210

NASA ASSISTANT ADMINISTRATOR, LOCAL SON, DOES WELL

Image left: Ralph C. Thomas III, Assistant Administrator for Small and 
Disadvantaged Business Utilization. Photo credit: NASA/Bill Ingalls. 

Growing up, Ralph C. Thomas III always wanted to be a journalist and a 
writer. Little did he realize or plan he'd one-day work for NASA and 
be admitted to the Bar of the U.S. Supreme Court. 

On June 1, 2004, Thomas was sworn in at the courtroom of the Supreme 
Court. Eight of the nine justices were present, including Chief 
Justice William H. Rehnquist, who granted the motion requesting 
Thomas' admission to the Bar. As a member of the Supreme Court Bar, 
Thomas can argue cases before the high court.

"I did not plan to be a lawyer or work for NASA, but here I am. And, 
to have just been admitted to practice before the Supreme Court, why, 
I'm elated to be a member of the Bar of the highest court in the 
land," Thomas said.

Thomas joined NASA in 1992 as Assistant Administrator for the Office 
of Small and Disadvantaged Business Utilization (OSDBU). OSDBU is 
responsible for the development and management of NASA programs to 
assist small businesses. Its mission is to ensure that small, small 
disadvantaged, and women-owned small businesses, as well as 
historically black colleges and universities and other minority 
institutions, are provided the most opportunities possible to 
participate in NASA prime contracts and subcontracts, particularly in 
the high tech areas. This includes technology transfer and 
commercialization activities.

Under Thomas' leadership, during fiscal years 1992-2002, NASA's total 
dollars to small businesses increased from $2.5 billion to $3.5 
billion. The total prime and subcontract award dollars to minority 
small disadvantaged businesses almost tripled from $615 million to 
$1.7 billion, the highest amount in NASA's history. Additionally, the 
total prime and subcontract award dollars to women-owned businesses 
more than tripled from $219 million to $743 million, also the highest 
amount in NASA's history.

Thomas is local to NASA Headquarters in Washington; he grew up in 
Frederick, Md., and graduated from Frederick High School. After high 
school he joined the U.S. Air Force. 

Thomas completed his Air Force commitment, then attended Maunaolu 
College on Maui, Hawaii, where he received an Associate of Arts 
Degree. Thomas then attended the University of California at 
Berkeley, where he graduated with honors and went on to Harvard Law 
School, Cambridge, Mass. 

Thomas was a practicing attorney before joining the government. Since 
coming to NASA, he has continued to be active in the legal field. He 
has written legal articles for several publications including Federal 
Contracts Report, Federal Lawyer and The Government Contractor.

Thomas has also been chairman of the Federal Bar Association's 
Government Contracts Section, as well as that section's Committee on 
Small Business and Socioeconomic Matters. At NASA he routinely gives 
seminars to small businesses on the legal aspects of entering into 
teaming agreements and federal subcontracts with large businesses.

While at NASA, Thomas has developed an interest in race-walking. In 
December 2002, he completed a race-walking marathon in Jamaica for 
the American Stroke Association in honor of his administrative 
assistant, Jackie Benjamin, who died of a stroke the previous year. 

Unfortunately, Thomas developed anterior compartment syndrome, a rare 
condition that requires immediate leg surgery to allow "suffocating" 
calf muscles to "breathe." He was in three hospitals over a two-month 
period and had eight surgeries. He was told he would probably never 
walk again without some form of assistance. He beat those odds, first 
using a wheel chair, then a walker, then heavy braces to light 
braces; now he is walking on his own. 

During the past year, he not only has made an impressive comeback 
physically, but professionally as well. His small business program 
was voted one of the top three in the federal government by diversity 
business owners. Asian Enterprise Magazine named him Minority 
Business Entrepreneur Advocate of the Year. And OSDBU won the 
competitive Diversity Innovator Award from the National Women's 
Business Center for developing innovative approaches in providing 
contracting opportunities for women business owners.

"I consider myself very blessed. Through the hard times and the good 
times, I've had a great deal of support from my family, and, as 
important, from my staff and the whole NASA family. The supportive 
atmosphere NASA provides to its employees has allowed me to make a 
number of soft landings," said Thomas. 

For more information about OSDBU on the Internet, visit: 

http://www.osdbu.nasa.gov 

For information about NASA and agency programs on the Internet, visit: 


http://www.nasa.gov

	
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