Tom attended Kansas University where he edited their 1958 yearbook "Jayhawker." He graduated first in his class from the Navy's Hospital Corps School. He spent a 40 year career as a marketing executive in consumer products, starting with Procter and Gamble. He is a member of Mensa. With his wife, Lynn, he has lived in Palm Springs, CA, for 40 years. They have two adult daughters and two adolescent cats.