Have you ever called a government office only to be passed from one department to another, leaving your questions unanswered? For many citizens, interacting with local government can feel frustrating, slow, and overly bureaucratic.

Thomas Lannan believes it doesn't have to be this way.

The Shelby County Property Assessor’s Office exists to serve the public. To fulfill that mission, it needs more than just advanced software and clean data—it needs a culture of empathy, responsiveness, and professional pride. As an executive leader who has built high-performing teams for over 30 years, Tom is ready to transform the department into a model of service-first public administration.

"The true measure of any organization is how it treats the people it serves. We are going to build a team in the Assessor's Office that is fast, accurate, and deeply empathetic to the needs of our community."
— Thomas Lannan

The Philosophy of Service-First Leadership

Throughout his highly successful business career, Tom Lannan has managed substantial operations and led diverse workforces. Whether driving a $10 million revenue increase as Vice President and General Manager at The Meridian Group or managing national accounts in financial services, Tom’s success has always hinged on one core philosophy: your organization is only as strong as your team.

Tom understands that building a responsive team requires intentional leadership:

• Empowering the Front Lines: The staff members who answer the phones and greet visitors at the counter are the face of the county. Tom will ensure they have the training, authority, and resources to resolve taxpayer issues quickly and accurately on the first point of contact.

• Fostering Empathy: Property valuations can be stressful, especially for seniors on fixed incomes or small business owners facing tight margins. Tom will instill a culture where staff listen to taxpayers' concerns with patience and respect.

• Setting Clear Standards: Responsiveness cannot be an afterthought. Tom will establish clear, measurable benchmarks for response times to emails, phone calls, and in-person inquiries.

Bringing Corporate Excellence to the Public Sector

In the private sector, customer service is a matter of survival. If a business fails to treat its clients well, those clients go elsewhere. While citizens cannot choose a different Assessor’s Office, Tom believes they still deserve world-class service.

By applying client-relationship management principles to the Assessor’s Office, Tom will modernize how the department interacts with the community. This means:

A Team That Reflects Shelby County's Values

Tom’s leadership is defined by collaboration. He is not interested in being a remote bureaucrat who sits behind a closed door. He will be on the ground, working alongside his staff, listening to their challenges, and providing them with the support they need to succeed.

When you elect Thomas Lannan, you aren’t just electing a manager; you are electing a mentor and team-builder. Together with the dedicated public servants in the Assessor’s Office, Tom will build a department that is fast, accurate, transparent, and—above all—fully dedicated to serving the residents of Shelby County.