Following his receipt of his master’s degree in architecture, hospital planning and design in 1965, Tom R. Ragland III found success as an architect with Skidmore, Owings & Merrill from 1965 to 1971. For the following decade, he served as the founding partner and vice president of The Ehrenkrantz Group in New York. In the beginning stages of his career in the architecture sector, Mr. Ragland participated in a myriad of projects across the nation, such as the Joseph H. Hirschhorn Museum, the Lyndon Baines Johnson Library and Mount Sinai Hospital & School of Medicine.
Thoroughly enjoying his career in architectural design, Mr. Ragland ultimately decided to shift his focus to other endeavors to spend more time with his family. In 1981, he established a photo retail firm titled The Image Center, which he ran through 1993. During his tenure with his photography business, he was a sailing photographer and, notably, took photographs of numerous American Cup Regattas worldwide. During his pursuit of photography, Mr. Ragland was elected to serve on the Town of Greenwich Planning and Zoning Commission in the State of Connecticut. He also was asked to sit on the Selectman’s Committee on Parking and Traffic, as well as the Greenwich Republican Round Table. In this regard, Mr. Ragland flourished as chairman of the board of the Greenwich Chamber of Commerce and a board member of the Greenwich Emergency Medical Service.
Following these appointments, Mr. Ragland attained much recognition across the Town of Greenwich and, subsequently, ran for Mayor. He was elected victoriously and served as Mayor of Greenwich from 1995 until his retirement in 1999. Celebrated extensively for the positive influence he had on his community, as well as his efforts through the arts across the Eastern seaboard, Mr. Ragland received numerous Photography Awards, was named Small Business Person of the Year and received a Certificate from the Connecticut Governor for running the Republican committee in Greenwich.
Mr. Ragland holds a Bachelor of Architecture in architecture and planning from the University of Nebraska at Lincoln from 1964 and a Master of Science in architecture, hospital planning and design from the Graduate School of Architecture, Planning and Preservation at Columbia University from 1965. During his undergraduate studies, he impressively served as president of the College of Engineering and Architecture at the University of Nebraska at Lincoln between 1963 and 1964. Looking toward the future, he intends to continue enjoying his retirement, play golf and relax with his family.