Thomas was born and raised in Wiesbaden, Germany.  He received a bachelor in business from Coastal Carolina University and an MBA from the University of South Carolina.  In 1994 he became a naturalized citizen of the United States of America.
From 1990 until 2006, he worked for New South Companies, based in South Carolina, a manufacturer of Southern Pine wood products.  During that time, he focused on softwood exports to Asia and Europe and imports from South America and Europe.  He also developed the distribution system for his European suppliers in Asia and Australia.
In 2006 he joined Klausner Trading USA as President, importing European softwoodm, started Klausner's Sales to the Middle East and opened up sales offices in Shanghai and New Delhi.
In 2019, he joined Binderholz, now Europe's largest lumber copmany and worldwide leader in Masstimber products.  The company's Atlanta sales office handles sales in the Americas from the European factories and two Southern Pine sawmills in Florida and North Carolina.
Mr Mende  has traveled to 89 countries and conducted busines in over half of those countries.  He brings a unique, global perspective to forestry, wood products and construction topics.