M.R. Thomason was born and raised in Talladega, Alabama. He started his contracting career in 1928 as an electrical contractor in the city of Birmingham. Tommy (as he was known by his associates) became the guiding light for two of Alabama’s construction companies

Ambitious to take a larger part in the construction field, in 1939 he moved his operation to Montgomery, and increased his operations to include the construction of radio towers and auxiliary airfields for the government, and gradually became established in the heavy and highway construction fields.

With a tremendous increase in number and diversification of types of construction projects, it became necessary to expand the original partnership of the M.R. Thomason Company to a second organization designated as Thomason and Associates, Inc. This was done in 1955, with M.R. Thomason operating as a partnership, while Thomason and Associates became a corporation. M.R. Thomason was president as well as being a co-owner of M.R. Thomason Company. They performed various types of work such as pipe lines, sewers, water lines, highways, dams, airports, tunnels and railroads, with work being performed in 22 states. All highway work was bid and executed under the firm of M.R. Thomason.

Mr. Thomason became one of Montgomery’s most civic-minded citizens, being a member of the Kiwanis Club of Montgomery, serving on the board of directors for the Alabama National Bank, and was a founder of, and served as chairman of the Montgomery Industrial Development Board. He also served as Chairman of the Montgomery Chamber of Commerce and was a member of their board of directors for many years. He was a founder of the Alabama Road Builders Association in 1947. He performed the duty of treasurer for 10 years, served on the board of directors and in 1950 became the president of the association.

Milton Thomason dedicated much of his life to bringing new industry to Montgomery until his death at 81.