Milwaukee, WI — Thelma A. Sias is being recognized by
Continental Who’s Who as a Distinguished
Professional for three decades of pioneering Executive Leadership and
continued commitment to community service.
A retired corporate executive, political consultant, and
motivational speaker, Ms. Sias is a strong advocate for leadership development
among women and minorities and numerous other civic causes in Milwaukee,
Wisconsin.
A native of
Mayersville, Mississippi, Ms. Sias was one of 11 children born to the late
Roosevelt and Pauline Sias. She grew up on her family farm and learned the
value of hard work and commitment from a young age due to her parent’s
committed involvement in the civil rights movement. Ms. Sias shares that this exposure
to their dedication instilled in her the drive to stand up to injustice along
with the unwavering principles that have motivated her career. Often in her
speaking engagements, she will illustrate her journey beginning in the cotton
fields in Mississippi to standing in the White House of the United States. This
trajectory, she explains, was all due to how her parent’s fought for her and
her family to have a better life and the early lessons they taught of
perseverance.
After high school,
Ms. Sias furthered her education in Atlanta, GA, at Clark College (now known as
Clark Atlanta University). She graduated in 1976 with a Bachelor’s degree in
Political Science. She participated in a congressional internship in
Washington, D.C, during her senior year. Seeing African American leaders in
power, such as Congressman Walter Edward Fauntroy, motivated Ms. Sias to follow
in such footsteps of influence. From there, she moved to Green Bay, WI, where
she became the supervisor of the Ethnic Heritage Recruitment Center, serving
the needs of African-American and Native American students.
In 1986, Ms. Sias
accepted a position with the electrical and natural gas company Wisconsin
Energy Corporation (now known as We Energies.) By 2003, she had worked her way
into the role of Vice President of Local Affairs, where she was responsible for
working with community leaders and local government officials to further the
utility company’s business initiatives and lead multi-million dollar projects.
Among her many career accolades, Ms. Sias was selected for
the 2015 Milwaukee Business Journal’s 40 Under 40 Hall of Fame. In 2016, she
was named one of the Top Influential Women in Corporate America by Savoy
Magazine, The History Makers’ Collection at the Library of Congress in 2017,
and a Lifetime Achievement Award by the Milwaukee Business Journal in 2018.
Ms. Sias is a member
of The Links and the Black History Makers. She is also the founder and CEO of
her own consulting firm named The Sias Group, LLC. She serves on a host of community
and civic boards, including the United Way of Greater Milwaukee and Waukesha,
where she was the first African American to sit on the board, the Boys and
Girls Club of Greater Milwaukee, the Sojourner Family Peace Center, and the
African American Women’s Project.
In her spare time,
she loves to travel and spend time with her family. For more information and to
inquire about speaking engagements, please visit
www.athenacommunicationsllc.com/services.
