Mayor Henry was elected in May 2024 for a two-year term. He is a native of Tatum and has deep connections to the community, with roots dating back to his childhood. After high school, Mayor Henry attended Panola College, where he met and married his college sweetheart. After one year at Panola, he joined the U.S. Coast Guard, serving for two decades.
During his military career, Mayor Henry served in numerous capacities in different locations. He participated in various Coast Guard missions, including Search and Rescue, Law Enforcement, Homeland Security, and National Defense. Notably, he was involved in the response efforts for Hurricane Sandy in 2012 in New York and New Jersey and Hurricane Harvey in 2017 in SE Texas and SW Louisiana. Before retiring, Mayor Henry earned a bachelor’s degree in leadership studies from Regent University.
After retiring from the Coast Guard in 2018, Mayor Henry returned to Tatum. He held various roles, including a substitute teacher at Tatum ISD and later an academic advisor at Kilgore College. Mayor Henry is pursuing a master’s degree in human resource development at UT Tyler. Following his election, he took a work sabbatical to focus on serving the community, with plans to reassess the need for his constant presence.
Mayor Henry is still married to his college sweetheart, Holly Henry, and they have three children: two boys at home and a daughter and son-in-law living outside Seattle.
Mayor Michael Henry