Champion for the Arts

This week, we are delighted to hear from one of our Vanguard sponsors Tammy Thurman, Community Relations Managers at Piedmont Natural Gas. In addition to providing natural gas to homes and businesses of all sizes, Piedmont Natural Gas also gifts more than $100,000 grants to academia and various arts and culture programming in eastern North Carolina. Piedmont like many companies is rated by its community involvement, ethics and social responsibility.

Many corporate visionaries see the value of deeper cultural engagement and being connected to the community. Tammy Thurman believes the Arts Council gives Piedmont the opportunity to be noticeable in the eyes of customers, employees and investors. “It’s also a way to stand out from the competition. The Arts are an economic driver”, explains Tammy. “The Arts Council is the total package for any community. It embodies a little bit of everything you desire!”

Piedmont Natural Gas has generously supported A Dickens Holiday, Works in Progress: Public Art and the International Folk Festival. The Arts Council partnered with Piedmont Natural Gas to launch True To Yourself, the Arts Council’s first Black History Month talk series. Tammy believes the event is vital for the community, citing it as a necessity to “educate and enrich our diverse community.”

After graduating with a Bachelor of Arts in Communications from St. Augustine’s University, Tammy began her career with Piedmont Natural Gas as a Customer Service Representative in 2003. Through her tenure of over 16 years with Piedmont Natural Gas, Tammy  held numerous roles and as the Community Relations Manager, she is currently responsible for the community relations and local government for all of eastern North Carolina.

Tammy develops partnerships with key community stakeholders, manages key relationships with elected and appointed community groups to provide effective communication enhancing the company’s ability to achieve its strategic goals as well as all philanthropic contributions to 38 counties in North Carolina. Tammy Thurman has served on a number of charitable boards including the United Way of Cumberland County- Board of Directors, USO of NC at Fort Bragg advisory board, North Carolina American Association of Blacks in Energy AABE, Fayetteville Arts Council Black History Month Committee, North Carolina Independent Colleges and Universities – Advisory Board Committee, Sandhills Military Council, Greater Fayetteville Chamber, Fayetteville Chamber Military Advisory Council, Cape Fear Valley Medical Hospital, American Heart Association, and a Minister at Charity Church the Church That Christ Built.

When Tammy’s not serving as the media spokesperson for Piedmont Natural Gas or utilizing her role as Community Relations Manager to champion the mission of local nonprofits, she’s studying to guide individuals into progressing in all areas of their lives as a prospective life coach, and on occasion you can catch her swimming with dolphins.