Thoma Welcomes Wes Pettee

In November of this year, Thoma welcomed our newest employee, Wesley Pettee. Wes joins our Grants and Planning Team as a Program Manager/Planner. He replaces Lisa Foley who left Thoma this summer when she married and relocated to the West Coast.

Wes originally hails from Honeoye Falls, New York. He graduated from SUNY Buffalo and majored in Environmental Design in the School of Architecture and Planning. Wes most recently was employed as the Community Development Assistant for the City of Norwich. His job responsibilities included the administration of a comprehensive Community Development Block Grant which Thoma wrote. He also wrote other community development grants on behalf of the City. Utilizing his planning background, Wes was a technical advisor to the City Planning Commission and Zoning Board of Appeals. He also was compliance officer for the City with respect to State Environmental Quality Review Act (SEQRA) requirements and advised the Mayor on land use issues. Wes assisted in the development of the City’s Comprehensive Plan and assured compliance with its adoption process. He was appointed by the City to the Norwich Business Improvement District (BID) Board of Directors.

Prior to his position in Norwich, Wes was employed by the Delaware County Planning Department. He was the liaison to the Delaware County Planning Board for GML 239 l, m, and n applications. He developed training tools for municipal planning and zoning boards. Wes was responsible for interpreting and revising zoning laws, assisted in the development of municipal comprehensive and action plans, and advised on SEQRA requirements. Wes has a background in writing grant applications for the New York City Watershed and has helped to develop local laws regarding telecommunications towers and wind turbines.

At Thoma, Wes will be a Program Manager for our Grants and Planning Team. He will broaden our corporate resume with respect to our planning and zoning capabilities and we will capitalize on his experience for the benefit of our customers. Additionally, he will develop GIS software capabilities for Thoma projects.

Wes recently moved to the City of Cortland with his wife, April, and their new daughter, Jacqueline, who was born in March of this year. We have worked with Wes in the past when he was with the City of Norwich and we already have an appreciation for his knowledge and expertise, in addition to his friendly manner. We hope that he will spend many happy years at Thoma.