Thomas Grossnicklaus is a seasoned leader with a distinguished record of service in the public, private, and military sectors. A Marine Corps veteran, Thomas served five years, including deployments to Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, and Yemen, where he led as the Section Leader for the Designated Marksmen during high-intensity embassy security operations.

Following his military service, Thomas earned his degree in Political Science from Oklahoma City University. While completing his undergraduate studies, he worked for Congressman Steve Russell in both the district office and on a successful re-election campaign. He went on to attend OCU Law School, where he gained additional public sector experience working in the Office of Governor Mary Fallin and later clerking for Oklahoma Supreme Court Justice Jim Winchester.

Thomas has held multiple senior leadership roles across state government, including serving for several Oklahoma Attorneys General. Most notably, he served as Chief of Staff and General Counsel at the Oklahoma Department of Commerce and also as the agency’s Acting Executive Director. There, he oversaw a $646 million deployed budget, authored major economic development legislation—including the Perform Act and Five Major Sports Leagues Act—and helped structure incentive packages for some of the largest business investments in Oklahoma's history, resulting in substantial job creation and capital growth.

Now the founder of Oklahoma Strategies, Thomas leverages his unique background to help businesses grow across multiple states. His firm specializes in securing public and private funding, crafting strategic policy, identifying optimal locations for expansion, and raising investment capital to position clients for long-term success.

A recognized civic and business leader, Thomas is a NextGen Under 30 and Journal Record 40 Under 40 honoree, a graduate of Leadership OKC LOYAL, and a member of multiple advisory boards. He is currently enrolled in the Leadership Certificate Program at the Harvard Kennedy School, further strengthening his commitment to impactful leadership and public service.