THOMAS EDWARD POWELL, III was born in Elon College, North Carolina, in 1936, the son of Thomas Edward Powell, Jr. and Sophia Maude Sharpe Powell. He graduated from the Elon College High School in 1953, and graduated distinguished (cum laude equivalent) from the Virginia Military Institute with an A.B. degree in Biology in 1957. He received the M.D. degree from the Duke University School of Medicine in 1961, and the M.A. degree from Harvard University.
Dr. Powell joined Carolina Biological Supply Company as the Executive Vice-President in February, 1968. In June, 1977, he was elected Chairman of the Board and continues with this corporation at 2700 York Road, Burlington, North Carolina. Dr. Powell also serves as Chairman of the Board of Waubun Laboratories, Inc. of Schriever, Louisiana, and as Chairman of the Board of affiliate Wolfes Sales Corporation Burlington, North Carolina.
In April, 1969, Dr. Powell was one of four co-founders of Biomedical Laboratories, Inc., later Biomedical Reference Laboratories, Inc. He served as its Executive Vice President from its inception until June, 1975. He then became Chairman of the Board from June, 1975, to June, 1977 and then returned as Executive Vice President from July, 1977 through December, 1978. Dr Powell served as Administrative Officer of the Company from its inception through 1970, and served as Medical Co-Director from 1969 through 1977. He served as a member of the Board of Directors from its inception to when it was sold to Hoffman LaRoche in 1982.
In 1968 Dr. Powell was elected to the Board of Trustees of Elon College, where he served as Chairman of the Development Council. In 1972, Dr. Powell served Elon College as a member of the Presidential Selection Committee. He severed as Secretary of Elon College from 1972 to 2002. The Elon College Alumni Association honored him with the 1980 Citizens Service Award.
He served two terms as Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Burlington Day School. He is a former of the Board of Directors of the United Way of Alamance County, and a former member of the Burlington Board of Wachovia Bank and Trust Company. He is a past member of the Board of Directors of the Association of Microbiological Media Manufacturers, Inc., a past member of the Board of Directors of the Vocational Trades of Alamance, a past member of the American Business Club, and a past President of the Alamance County Alumni of Duke University.
Dr. Powell is proud to have had all three of his children to attend and graduate from Burlington Day School.