With an impressive career that bridges both the private and public sectors, Thomas Melito brings a wealth of experience, leadership, and insight to the world of civil service.

Thomas began his professional journey with a Bachelor’s degree in Economics from SUNY New Paltz and went on to earn an MBA in Finance from New York University. His early career took shape in the private sector, where he worked with Revlon and Paine Webber before turning his focus toward public service—a move that would define the next several decades of his professional life.

Thomas’s public sector experience is as extensive as it is diverse. He served as Deputy Supervisor for the Town of Babylon and later founded a Public Sector Consulting Practice, where he worked with a wide range of municipal clients on organizational management, human resources, and technology initiatives. His leadership and strategic insight eventually led him to serve as Deputy County Executive for Suffolk County for eight years—a role that solidified his reputation for guiding municipalities toward best practice goals.

Since March 2020, Thomas has served as Personnel Officer, and as of November 2025, he has been appointed Deputy Personnel Officer. Throughout his career, he has built meaningful connections across Long Island’s municipal landscape and devoted 14 years as a School Board Trustee, demonstrating his deep commitment to community service and local governance.

When asked about his proudest professional achievements, Thomas reflects on his 35 years of helping municipalities achieve excellence in management, human resources, and technology. Yet, he emphasizes that true progress always comes down to people. “Our municipal employees are among the most creative, committed, and competent anywhere,” he says. “At the end of the day, you can have all the technology and best practice narratives to provide advice, but it is always people working together with people that accomplish goals. Employees need to be supported, nurtured, and provided the agency to do their best work.”

His advice to those new to civil service is both practical and profound: “Civil service needs to be lived for a period of time. You can’t just learn it by reading.”

When asked what change he’d most like to see in the civil service system, Thomas offers a forward-thinking perspective: the addition of a performance element in hiring and promotion processes, ensuring that skill, effort, and results are more fully recognized within the structure of public employment.

Outside of work, Thomas enjoys sailing, cycling, motorcycling, reading, and bird watching—interests that reflect his appreciation for both movement and mindfulness.

Thomas Melito’s career is a testament to the value of experience, collaboration, and commitment to public service—qualities that continue to shape and strengthen the communities he serves!