Vice President of Administration, Atkins, Inc. – Age: 38

In 1989 Emily Thoroughman graduated from the University of Missouri with a bachelor’s degree in English. She later moved to St. Louis, where she served as an office manager for a lawn care company.
Thoroughman came back to Columbia in June 1994 and joined Atkins, Inc., starting out as a data-entry clerk/receptionist and soon being promoted to office manager. In December 2003, Thoroughman was promoted to vice president of administration, her current position.
Thoroughman and her husband, Kent, have been married for 15 years and have two daughters, Isabel, 6, and Clara, 2 1/2. Before having children, Thoroughman loved reading and watching movies. Now that “parenthood” has replaced “free time” in her vocabulary, she loves reading bedtimes stories and watching kids’ movies.
Thoroughman serves the community in the Columbia Chamber of Commerce Women’s Network and the 2007 Leadership Columbia Program, as well as through her volunteer efforts with the Disco Cures Cancer planning committee, the Addy Awards planning committee, the Worley Street Project and the Community Gathering for Rape Awareness. She has also been a Stand By Me mentor for West Boulevard Elementary School for the past three years.
“Columbia could be an even better place to live by focusing on the school district,” said Thoroughman. “We need to make funding available to expand existing schools, make sure they all have air conditioning, build a new high school and perhaps convert to a year-round schedule.”
Thoroughman also believes that improving Columbia’s curb appeal along I-70, inviting more industry to town, and providing more jobs for the middle class would help better our community.