Thomas M. Nelson

Thomas M. Nelson is the Outagamie County Executive (Appleton–Fox Valley, Wisconsin) and a former Wisconsin Assembly majority leader (2008–2010). He is the author of "One Day Stronger: How One Union Local Saved a Mill and Changed an Industry" (Rivertowns Books, 2021), "Wrecked: The Edmund Fitzgerald and the Sinking of the American Economy" (with Jerald Podair) (Michigan State University Press, 2025) and "The Green and Gold Standard: A People's History of the Green Bay Packers" (Triumph Books, 2026). He has contributed to The American Prospect, The Progressive, and National Review and has been covered in numerous national and international publications. Nelson has served in elective office for twenty years and is a seasoned campaigner, having run for the U.S. House (2016) and U.S. Senate (2022). His unique political experience yields important insights into his writing. Along with thoroughly researched subjects and effective use of vibrant, engrossing prose, his books are accessible to a wide audience. He holds an MPA from Princeton University and a BA from Carleton College.