Born and raised in northern Minnesota, Tom graduated from Virginia, Minnesota’s Roosevelt High School in 1980. He attended college at the University of Minnesota (1981-1985), where he earned a degree in Public Relations. During the college years, he was a 4 year tuba section leader of the U of M marching band, and was also a member of the 1984 Olympic All-American Marching Band, an elite group of college musicians from around the country, assembled expressly for the Los Angeles Summer Olympics Games.

Tom worked as the first program director and afternoon air personality at K100/USA Radio from 1987-1993. In 1993 he moved to Atlanta, GA, becoming the Southeast Region Promotion Manager for BNA Records, working with established stars John Anderson and Lorrie Morgan. In 1997, he was promoted to Vice President National Promotion BNA Records. In 1999 and again in 2000, he was named “Country VP of the Year” by Gavin Magazine. In that position, Tom was instrumental in building the careers of country music stars Kenny Chesney, Lonestar and Mindy McCready.

In 2006, Tom was elevated to Vice President of Marketing Sony Music Nashville (which included the Arista Nashville, BNA Records, Columbia Records and RCA Records imprints), where he directed the artist development, media, creative and strategic marketing departments—working with Kenny Chesney, Miranda Lambert, Carrie Underwood, Brad Paisley, Brooks & Dunn, Alan Jackson, Martina McBride, Montgomery Gentry, Terri Clark, Sara Evans, Chris Young, Jake Owen and more.

On December 1, 2010 Tom was named President, Average Joes Entertainment in Nashville, TN. Bringing unprecedented mainstream commercial country chart success to flagship artist Colt Ford and AJE, he served in that role until July of 2012.

On September 5, 2012 he was named Vice President, Radio Promotion & Marketing for Show Dog Universal Records. Tom spent two years in that capacity, working Toby Keith, Josh Thompson and Joel Crouse to mainstream country radio.

In September, 2015 Midwest Communications created the position of Corporate Country Brand Strategist for him. Additionally, he serves as afternoon host for Midwest country stations KDKE/Duluth, MN and WUSZ/Hibbing, MN.

Tom is a member of the Country Music Association, The Academy of Country Music, Leadership Music and NARAS. In addition to committee work for the ACM, Leadership Music, and the Country Radio Broadcasters, he is a past Director of the Country Radio Broadcasters board, the Academy of Country Music board, the Leadership Music board, and W.O. Smith School of Music board.

His hobbies include collecting baseball cards and Batman memorabilia, playing the tuba and playing golf. He also is a past co-owner of 3 School of Rock franchises in the Phoenix, AZ area. Tom and his wife Tracy live in Minnesota.