About Tony | Tony Thompson for Iowa

Tony has worn a lot of hats in his life.
Even when he isn't actually wearing a hat.

Determined. Inquisitive. Generous.

Husband and Dad

The Thompson household is full of chaos, all working hard to be their best for each other.

Entrepreneur

Tony's entrepreneurial spirit has shone through in his work, like at the Greater Des Moines Habitat for Humanity ReStore, where Tony was the first full-time general manager in 2005. More recently, Tony's focus has been on Prudent Produce, a food hub that works to grow the market for local foods in central Iowa that is co-located on his family's century farm.

Farmer

From growing tons of healthy produce and eggs to nourish the local community to experimenting with extended crop rotations, Tony is connected to Iowa's agriculture through his family's 4th generation farm.

Data Scientist

Tony loves to geek out on data to increase our understanding of the world around us. From ocean temperatures to farmland values and everything in between, Tony advocates for responsible and appropriate use of data in this rapidly evolving sector.

Advocate

Whether on behalf of organizations like the Iowa Environmental Council, the Iowa Farmers Union, affordable housing advocates, or as a private citizen -- Tony has long been advocating for public policy that prioritizes people over profits.

Environmentalist

Tony has been learning and teaching about the ecological systems that our society depends for most of his adult life, including serving on the Iowa Environmental Council board of directors, teaching engineering for a sustainable society, and making connections with how our changing climate affects us all.

Academic

As a graduate student, Tony helped to start a master's program focused on helping industry create products and services that were better for people, the planet, and their profits. Tony obtained his Ph.D. in Sustainable Product Innovation in 2012.

Adventurer

From rafting down an old logging river in Sweden to visiting post-genocide Rwanda, Tony's keen curiosity of the world has guided his thinking, and his way back to the family farm.

House builder

Tony has lead Habitat for Humanity Global Village teams to "put faith into action" in three countries, offering people a hand up by partnering with them to build simple, decent housing.

Proud Iowan

Tony is 4th generation of House District 45, and his family has experienced all of the changes over the past century. Tony hopes his family will remain connected to this place for the next century and beyond.