Russ Thomas was born and raised in Modesto, where he graduated from Modesto High School. During summers and school vacations, he worked for his father, a masonry contractor, gaining hands-on experience in the trade. After completing his first year of college in La Verne, California, Thomas took a seven-month journey through Europe, visiting 14 countries and broadening his perspectives.

Thomas earned an Associate of Arts degree from Modesto Junior College before attending San Francisco State College, initially pursuing a degree in music. He later shifted his focus to business administration, earning a Bachelor of Arts degree from California State University, Stanislaus. Following graduation, he joined the family masonry business as a partner.

After his father’s retirement, Thomas expanded the business by developing proprietary sound wall systems, which led to large-scale projects constructing subdivision walls and freeway sound barriers throughout Northern California. During this time, he served as president of the California Association of Mason Contractors and contributed to his community by serving on the Stanislaus County Planning Commission for seven years.

In 1997, Thomas moved to Copperopolis and became Chairman of the Copperopolis Community Plan Advisory Committee. His involvement in community planning ignited his interest in local government, leading to his election as District 5 Supervisor on the Calaveras County Board of Supervisors in 2006.

From 2011 to 2014, Thomas worked as a construction project manager in Mogadishu, Somalia, overseeing United Nations-funded projects. His time in the war-torn region deeply influenced him, exposing him to the harsh realities faced by its people.

In 2017, Thomas was appointed to fill a Division 4 vacancy on the Calaveras County Water District (CCWD) Board of Directors. Thomas  has continued serving after subsequent elections in 2018, and 2022.

Thomas and his wife, Gloria, live on their ranch in the Salt Spring Valley. He has two grown children: a son who works as a business consultant in Stockholm, Sweden, and a daughter pursuing a Master’s degree in Education at Trinity College in Dublin, Ireland.