Tom was a founding member of WIDB. He was born in Oak Park, Illinois and grew up in Elgin. As a freshman at SIU he encountered the pirate station WLTH, in Schneider Tower. Later he was one of the core members that founded WIDB.

   Tom was the first air personality heard on WIDB, April 12, 1970. As Operations Director he auditioned and trained most of the first "jocks" at WIDB. He continued as OpsDir in 1970-71 when he edited and produced WIDB's first integrated jingle package ("The Beat Goes On"). Since WIDB could not afford to pay the huge commercial rate for a jingled package Tom had to "create" one thruough skill, ingenuity and creativity.

   In addition to leading the way by example, Tom became a teacher and mentor to younger 'IDBers who came aftter him. "I learned a lot from Tom, " said Sam Glick, who became Tom's assistant at the station. "I was a wet-behind-the-ears freshman and Tom guided and encouraged me. He let me experiment and do my own thing too. He really prepared me for my future positions in broadcasting and production. He gave me my shot."

   Unknown to Sam, Tom was just passing the baton. Just a few years before, Tom was a freshman himself. Howie Karlin, who would become Tom's mentor said, "the first time Tom walked into WLTH he really didn't know what we were doing. We talked about it and Tom decided to give it a try. That was it. He knew right away that radio was his life." Howie was Program Director at WLTH and the new WIDB; Tom became Howie's OpsDir.

   Jim Hoffman was Music Director for the new WIDB in 1970. "Tom was such a go-getter," Jim said. "He inspired us. Radio was in his blood, and he was such a charismatic guy." Even after 30 years in broadcasting, WIDB's comederie remains a great memory thanks to Tom: "He was such a team player that the station was the highest priority for us. I haven't experienced feelings like that since."

   Tom became Program Director in 1971. Gary Goldblatt was a freshman in September of that year. "Tom was the first person I saw when I came into the station. He was feared. I figured out that this was the person setting and enforcing the standards of on-air performance," he said. " I wanted to be a board operator. My first shift was to engineer for Tom. I was shaking in my boots. After the shift he said that I did okay. I felt like I had graduated."

   To a large extent Tom was responsible for elevating the on-air performance of WIDB to professional levels in just two years. After graduating in 1972 Tom took a GM position at WYFE, Rockford, and then became Sales Manager at a Lansing, Michigan station. Shortly thereafter he took a GM position at WEZW in Fort Wayne, Indiana. In the 1980s Tom moved to Winchester, Virginia where he remained until his passing. He was GM of a group of several stations there.

   Tom is survived by his wife, Marcy, his father, and two daughters.

   "Tom and I used to devour Broadcasting Magazine every week," Howie remembers. "One section we always read was the obituaries. I remember Tom remarking to me 'People in broadcasting really seem to die young!.'"

   Tom was 49.