Todd Thompson has been selected as the latest Unsung Hero.
Todd was born and raised in Devils Lake. Upon graduating from high school, he attended Concordia College where he received a degree in Business Administration and met his wife. After college, he lived and worked in Phoenix, Arizona and Minneapolis, Minnesota. “Lynn and I loved living in the big city but we knew that wasn’t where we wanted to raise our kids so we decided to move back to Devils Lake,” stated Thompson. A decision that he says he has never regretted.
Fortunately for Todd, his dad, Allan, owned and operated Thompson’s Devils Lake Glass and Paint. When he moved back in 2002, Todd started working in the family business and eventually became a third-generation owner. “When I moved back, my dad told me to get involved in the community,” said Thompson.
“Get involved” is exactly what Todd did! He has served on many boards/organization in Devils Lake: He started with the Devils Lake Chamber of Commerce, where he was a member of the Board of Directors from 2003 to 2008. During his time on this Board he went through all of the chairs and was the President his last year. “Being on the Chamber Board really helped me understand the importance of all businesses working together for the common good of the city. I met a lot of great people and learned things along the way that helped me in my own business.”
As an active member of Rotary, Todd has served as chair for a number of the different projects, as well as served as President: “One of my favorite Rotary projects is always the motorcycle raffle. It’s a great fundraiser that is well supported by our community.” Thompson is a diligent member of the Devils Lake Downtown Alliance and speaks passionately about the impact. “Throughout the years, this organization has sponsored many great downtown events which bring people into our businesses. Each event brings a different group of people – whether it’s the Cookie Crawl, Trick or Treating, or The Beer Hop – these events are a great opportunity to introduce ourselves to the community,” stated Thompson.
Currently, Todd is the acting President of the Devils Lake Area Foundation Board. “The Hoghaug family provided long lasting gift to our community by setting up this foundation. I enjoy being on this board as it keeps me in touch with the needs of our community and allows me to see the positive impact this foundation has on our community,” stated Thompson.
Thompson’s greatest passion is hockey. “I played hockey in high school and so did our boys. Hockey was good to our family so I decided to give back by coaching,” said Thompson, who coached youth hockey in Devils Lake from 2004 to 2019. “I really enjoyed coaching and watching the kids develop into better players.” He now enjoys the role of “fan.” “Devils Lake is a great community because if you want to make a difference – you can!” stated Thompson.
Thank you Todd Thompson for going above and beyond and making the Lake Region a better place!
