Otis Thurman began his career in criminal justice in 1962, working as a Correctional Officer at the State of California Duel Vocational Institute in Tracey, Ca. He transferred from the State Department of Corrections to the California State Department of Youth Authority in 1966, moving though the ranks from Group Supervisor to parole Agent during a seven-year period. Thurman returned to the State Department of Corrections in 1973 as a Parole Agent. From that point he moved through all of the crucial positions before retiring after completion of thirty-three years, holding Governor's appointments as Warden of two California Prisons.
Thurman's career span in administration has included every aspect of adult correctional facility management. He has been charged with planning, designing, furnishing and staffing facilities from ground up, establishing, initiating and maintaining comprehensive, innovative prison programs Some say the most difficult task, while Thurman's strength, is introducing the facility to the community with finesse, giving honest, accurate information while showing the benefits that cone with the prison and how the down-side of a "prison in your town" has solutions and overshadows objections.

Known as a team player uniquely able to penetrate a community's political forces and citizenry, he has been highly successful in paving the way for new prison development. His style is one of giving honest, straightforward information that the community can rely upon. He proved able to further operational productivity and efficiency, while at the same time manage human resources with integrity, professionalism and sensitivity. During the years that he served the State Department of Corrections, Thurman worked system wide: in Central Office Operations; in both Parole and Institution Branches; and serving as Training Academy Administrator. His career experience was brought together when he was selected to serve as Warden of California penal institutions, overseeing the well being of staff, inmates and the communities in which they resided.

Thurman is a consultant of the National Institute of Corrections, invited to the states of New York, Michigan, Georgia and Colorado for input into their efforts to improve correctional programming. He is also a member of NIC's think-tank, working on an HOC basis to bring continued overall excellence to the correctional system. Thurman is a subject matter expert in prison classification, construction and design, program design, inmate security, personnel management and community outreach.

New Millennium Contemporary Management was founded in 1997 by Otis Thurman. By 2000 New Millennium was successfully operating 2 six bed group homes. Recognizing that most children thrive in a family setting rather than in a group home setting, the agency saw a need to create and serve as a placement agency for foster homes. In 2002, New Millennium Foster family Agency began operation under the leadership and direction of Otis Thurman.