Mayor's Biography

Tom Martin was elected on May 10, 2008, to serve as the mayor of Lubbock. Tom was elected in May 2002 to serve on the Lubbock City Council as the District 5 Representative until 2006. During the last two years of his term on the Council he served as Mayor Pro Tem.

Family Life
Tom and his wife Karen were married in 1969. Karen is a retired registered nurse and elementary school teacher. She volunteers at the South Plains Wildlife Rehabilitation Center. They are members of Cumberland Presbyterian Church where Tom is an Elder and Chair of the finance committee.

Professional Life
Tom retired in 1998, completing 28 years in municipal government. He began his career as Public Information Officer for the City of Lubbock in 1970. In 1974, he joined the Lubbock Police Department and served until 1990 when he was appointed Chief of Police in San Marcos. He became Chief of Police in Grapevine in 1992, where he served until his retirement. Also, Tom was an educator in political science and criminal justice at Wayland Baptist University, Lubbock campus.

Tom serves on the following boards: Lubbock Metropolitan Transportation Planning Organization, Ports-to-Plains Trade Corridor Coalition, and the Lubbock Scottish Rite Dyslexia Learning Center.

Tom earned a Bachelor's degree in Journalism and a Master's degree in Public Administration from Texas Tech University.

Areas of Interest
Tom focuses on promoting Lubbock's economic growth and developing more business opportunities in the Lubbock area. He was recognized as the Volunteer of the Year in 2000 by the Lubbock Chamber of Commerce. He is a charter member and past president of the Lubbock Internet Business Association.

He promotes the highest level of cooperation between the City of Lubbock, Lubbock County, and the several districts in our city.