Limestone Grad: Youngest County Auditor in SC State History

When Ryan Thomas was appointed Cherokee County Auditor by Governor Henry McMaster in August, it was the culmination of a journey that may have hit its pivotal path at Limestone University. At 38 years old, Ryan is the youngest person to hold the office, although he says he sometimes felt like the oldest person on campus when he went back to school in 2018.

“I was in class with all these young folks,” said Ryan, “but it was wonderful. We would help each other with homework, work together on projects, meet after class. Everyone was really serious and pulled their own weight.”

Going Back to College as an Adult

Ryan had been out of school for more than a decade when his company provided the opportunity to attend college to earn a bachelor’s degree. He’d already earned an associate degree in business management, but he wanted to focus on accounting. At the time, Ryan was working as an accountant for a power company, and he was looking for more in-depth knowledge. Limestone offered quality and convenience; Ryan lives and works in Gaffney and local night classes were a perfect fit. But that doesn’t mean he wasn’t anxious about the move.

“I’ll admit, going into it I was kind of nervous,” said Ryan, “but once things got going, it was better than I’d expected.”

One of the areas that cause some trepidation was all the technology used in the classroom. Even though Ryan’s classes didn’t start online—COVID would change that—technology is just a normal part of the modern classroom today. He was concerned about the learning platform but soon discovered how easy it was to submit assignments, post to discussion boards, and interact with his peers and professors through the platform.

Ryan urges students considering online classes not to be worried about the technology. “It’s so user-friendly and easy to navigate,” said Ryan. “Once you get used to the program, you realize, ‘I can do this’ and if you do have a problem, the people at Limestone are there to help you. They’re all great.”

Success in the Classroom and Beyond

Ryan took his positive attitude, determination, and willingness to ask questions and turned it into a diploma. He graduated with honors, on the Dean’s lists, a member of the Delta Mu Delta International Honor Society in Business, with a 3.9 GPA. Ryan says his Limestone experience taught him a lot about critical thinking and he started asking himself some bigger questions.

“Limestone piqued my interest in many different things,” said Ryan. “I wondered, am I really happy doing what I’m doing or could I do more. Limestone inspired me to run for office. I never would be in the position I am now if it weren’t for Limestone.”

That’s because when Ryan ran for office to become the Cherokee County Treasurer, he won. And with that experience and the auditing courses he took in his Business Administration –Accounting program under his belt, he had the right credentials to move even farther in his career. When the sitting Cherokee County auditor abruptly resigned, the Governor appointed Ryan. It’s been a whirlwind. But Ryan is ready to bring his can-do attitude to any obstacle or opportunity that arises.