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Name:
Thurman Ross
Profession:
I am a Realtor and serve as a Commissioner for the Town of Cornelius.
Background:
I was born and raised in Cornelius and have five brothers and sisters. I am Chairman of the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Black Heritage Community and have been a member of the Masonic Lodge, Shriners and Black Elected Officials.
Contribution to Cornelius/surrounding area:
I enjoy working with the kids in the community and exposing them to new things and experiences to get them to become better men and women as they become older and take on life's challenges.
If you could have dinner with one person from history (present or past), who would it be and why?
I would have dinner with President Obama because he is the first African-American President and to see that happen in my lifetime is a great accomplishment. It reconfirms that anything is possible if you stay focused and believe in yourself.
If someone gave you $100, 000 to improve the community, what would you do with the money?
I would invest it back in the youth trying to support and create programs that would give them more exposure to the world, such as traveling to other states and countries to see their lifestyles.
What do you think is the biggest challenge facing our world today?
It goes back to the youth- it's one of the biggest challenges I see. Mainly because it's hard for parents. They are so busy trying to survive and make ends meet that the youth sometimes get lost in the shuffle. Kids are not actively outside playing & exercising, creating obesity and hurting our youth. We have to get back to basics and make sure the youth are getting what they need from the parents to survive.
Who was the biggest influence on you?
My father was my biggest influence. Being one of six siblings and seeing what we went through-it wasn't easy. Seeing what he had to deal with and working and making sure he was providing for his family. When I look at that and the sacrifices he made and gave up to make sure that we had an opportunity to go to school if we chose to- it required a lot of him. He didn't give up- he was always there to support us and provide for the family.
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