Thomas Talley
Thomas Welborne Talley is serving his eighth year on the Hobart City Council and as mayor the past seven. A private practice attorney in Hobart, he also serves on the boards of the Southwestern Oklahoma Development Authority and Hobart Main Street. He was recognized by the Oklahoma Conference of Mayors in 2007 as “Mayor of the Year for a Community of 5,000 or Under”. His service to Hobart was also honored that year by the Oklahoma Community Institute for “Exemplary Leadership in Your Community”.
A native of Hobart, he earned an undergraduate degree in Agricultural Economics from Oklahoma State University and then three years later his Juris doctorate degree at the University of Oklahoma College of Law. Since returning to Hobart he has been active in leadership for his Methodist Church, Hobart Main Street, and the Hobart Airport Board.
Tom is President of Hobart Industries and Chairman of the Kiowa County Industrial Authority. Through his leadership, Hobart has become known as “the Community that Partners with Success”. He is credited with being a driving force to secure in southwest Oklahoma the General Tommy Franks Leadership Institute and Museum. He is now a member of the Board of Trustees for the institute and museum. In 2007 he received the Award of Merit from the Hobart Chamber of Commerce, and the chamber again recognized him in 2008 with the Citizen of the Year award.
At SWODA he took a leadership role in a program to purchase expensive pieces of equipment to be made available to all members. This is very important to area communities in southwestern Oklahoma since most can not afford to purchase equipment not used on a regular basis. Examples include a paint striping machine and a brush chipper which will be of great assistance to all cities and towns in the district.
Tom was one of the first leaders in the county to use the phrase "if it is good for one city in the county, it is good for all cities in the county." He instituted this phrase at the Kiowa County Industrial Authority where it is still the attitude that drives work of the Authority. He has spent a great deal of his life and efforts committed to this philosophy which is paying dividends with a new spirit of cooperation between all cities and towns in Kiowa County. He is widely regarded as THE "Advocate of a United Kiowa County."