Thomas was born in 1967 in Wiesbaden, Germany. In 1990, he received a degree in business administration (B.S.) from USC at Coastal Carolina College in Conway (SC), USA and in 1994, he received an MBA from the University of South Carolina in Columbia (SC), USA. Mr. Mende became a naturalized citizen of the United States in 1994.

From 1990 until 2006, he worked for New South Companies, Inc. (NSI) in Conway (SC), USA, a manufacturer of Southern Pine wood products. During that time, Mr. Mende focused on exports from the USA to Asia and Europe and imports from South America and Europe. In 1997, the company became the exclusive importer of Klausner in the USA. During that time, he also developed the distribution system for Klausner in Asia, and in Australia.

In 2006, Mr. Mende joined Klausner as President of Klausner Trading USA. Aside from handling US Sales he started the company’s sales to the Middle East and also opened/supervised the Shanghai, China and New Delhi, India sales offices for Klausner.

In 2019, he joined Binderholz, Europe’s largest lumber company and worldwide the largest producer of Cross Laminated Timber. Mr. Mende has traveled to 89 countries and has conducted business in 48 of these countries. He brings a unique, global perspective to the industry especially when it comes to marketing wood products.