Antoine M Thompson

In April 2015 Antoine M. Thompson became the Executive Director of the National Association of Real Estate Brokers (NAREB) the largest organization of African-American real estate professionals in the United States. Antoine Maurice Thompson is a native of Buffalo, New York. He graduated from Buffalo Public Schools #61, #60, and Bennett High School. A graduate of SUNY Brockport with a dual bachelors’ degree in History and African and Afro-American Studies, Thompson also studied at the University of Ghana in Ghana, West Africa. He is a graduate of the 2001 Class of Leadership Buffalo. Antoine began his career in public service as a Legislative Assistant for the Buffalo Common Council Central Staff. There he conducted legislative research and presented recommendations for Affirmative Action policies and minority business development. He was later appointed Executive Director of the Office of Urban Initiatives, Inc. (OUI) an economic development corporation focused on minority and women-owned business development and various urban policy issues. On January 4, 2001, Antoine was unanimously appointed to the Buffalo Common Council representing the Masten District. He served on the Common Council for 5 years. He also served on Buffalo’s Empire Zone Board, the Buffalo Economic Renaissance Corporation, the Joint School Construction Board ($1 Billion project) and the Buffalo and Erie County Workforce Investment Board. Antoine served as one of the New York State Senators representing Buffalo for four years. He was re-elected to the NY Senate in 2008. In December of 2012, Antoine was appointed Executive Director of the Buffalo Employment & Training Center (BETC), the second-largest publicly run employment and training center (one stop center) in New York State, serving youth, adults and dislocated workers. During Thompson’s tenure at the BETC, Steps To Achieve, an ex-offender program was initiated, a Youth Advisory Committee and Placement Advisory Committee was created and the number of companies utilizing BETC to recruit job seekers increased more than 400 percent. Antoine helped launch the Buffalo Construction Training Program wherein BETC provided a $2,300 grant supported with Workforce Investment Act funds. He instituted Quarterly BETC Career Fairs, regular Breakfast and Job Club events too. Prior to his leadership at the BETC, the agency had not sponsored a career fair in approximately 4 years. In April 2015 Antoine M. Thompson became the Executive Director of the National Association of Real Estate Brokers (NAREB) the largest organization of African-American real estate professionals in the United States. Throughout his career, Antoine has received various awards, which include the NYS Solar Industries Association Legislator of the Year, the NYS Environmental Advocates the Legislator of the Year Award, the WNY Climate Action Coalition Leadership Award, Buffalo Audubon Society Government Award For Leadership and Conservation, Citizen Action of New York- Progressive Leadership Award, the Black Chamber of Commerce Business Advocate Award and the Buffalo Branch NAACP – Medgar Evers Civil Rights Award. Antoine is the sole owner and founder of Next Level WNY, a cultural and entertainment magazine and Next Level 21 a consulting firm. He is also a licensed real estate agent with Realty USA, the largest privately-owned real estate company in NYS. Antoine is a member and usher at Calvary Baptist Church and the father of Deja L. and Joseph A. Thompson