Thom Tillis

Thomas Roland "Thom" Tillis (born August 30, 1960) is an American politician who is the junior United States Senator from North Carolina. A Republican, he served as a member of the North Carolina House of Representatives from Mecklenburg County, and Speaker of the House, and was also the Republican Party's nominee for the 2014 U.S. Senate election in North Carolina, defeating Democratic incumbent Kay Hagan.

Early life and education

Tillis was born in Jacksonville, Florida, the son of Margie and Thomas Raymond Tillis, a boat draftsman. He was the oldest boy among six children with three older sisters. His family moved especially frequently when he was in elementary school, never attending the same school in back-to-back years. He lived in New Orleans, Louisiana, and Nashville, Tennessee growing up, moving about 20 times. In high school, Tillis was elected student body president and graduated near the top of his class.

In 1978, after graduating high school at 17, Tillis left home to get a job, telling The Charlotte Observer that he and his siblings "weren't wired to go to college." He would eventually go back to school, attending Chattanooga State Community College and receiving his bachelor's degree in technology management from the University of Maryland University College in 1996.