Tom is a family forest landowner who resides on and manages 440 acres of forestland near Ethel, in Lewis County, Washington. Tom graduated from Lane Community College in Eugene, Oregon with an Associate of Science degree in Forestry in 1973. Tom and his family have received many honors from the American Tree Farm system: the 2003 Lewis County Outstanding Tree Farmer award; the 2004 Washington State Outstanding Tree Farmer award; and the 2005 National Outstanding Tree Farmer of the Year.
For the last forty years, Tom has been president of Tree Management Plus (TMP), a forestry consulting and contracting business based in Lewis County Washington. TMP works almost exclusively for family forest landowners in the management of their family forest resources. In 2004, TMP received the Washington State Outstanding Logger award and also received the Western Regional Outstanding Logger award.
In 2004, after spending over 6 years negotiating with USFW and NOAA, Tom was successful in receiving an 80-year multi-species Habitat Conservation Plan for his own family forestland. Tom is a Class 19 graduate of the Washington Agriculture and Forestry Leadership Program. His professional affiliations include the Washington Farm Forestry Association, the Washington Contract Loggers Association, and the Society of American Foresters.