History

by George Thomas, Founder (click here to learn more about George)

On August 10, 1996, I earned my Bachelors of Business Administration Degree from Tennessee State University. During that time a revelation came to me that many students, like myself, were disconnected from the reality of the real world of work. Most of my peers and I did not have access to the pipelines reaching towards top business leaders, entrepreneurs and the political power brokers. These relationships are essential in showcasing successful industry executives for emerging student leaders to emulate. On June 14, 2001, the EEOG was incorporated in the State of Tennessee.

The vision of the Education Equal Opportunity Group, Inc. (EEOG) is to bridge the gaps in the educational and economic disparities for students in public education. I serve as the Lead Visionary, Founder and President the EEOG. I once ran across a quote that stated, “Is the JUICE worth the squeeze?” This resonated with me because my life is centered on serving and helping under-served, first generation and low-income students excel academically and in life.

The EEOG very much reminds me of what I needed to know and the opportunities that I did not take advantage of some twenty years ago. As a grassroots organization, the EEOG has raised over $750,000 in sponsorship from reputable companies such as NASCAR, Publix, Allstate, AT&T, and Dollar General, just to name a few.

It is my privilege to work side-by-side with corporate business leaders, addressing many of the unmet need to encourage and empower students to reach and maximize their full potential.

The challenges disguised as opportunities in my early life have molded me to become persistent, enthusiastic and resourceful, and to be a politically-engaged man of service. Many wonderful people have planted positive seeds into my life and they are fertilized by accountability to help others.  When duty calls, I use every resource to complete the task to a proper conclusion and I know unequivocally that the juice is worth the squeeze.