Tom’s father was an avid photographer and began teaching Tom how to operate a camera and take photos at age 4 .  Tom also began shooting with his father’s 8mm movie camera during family vacations.

Tom was given a Kodak Pony 828 camera on his 5th birthday.  This camera used Kodak 828 paper backed film rolls with only 8 exposures.  Tom’s father supplied him with the film and mailed them off to Kodak for processing and B&W prints.

In 1st grade at Falcon Heights Elementary School Tom brought his B&W prints to school to share with his friends.   He had so many prints in his desk that eventually he couldn’t shut the top all the way, which was against the class room rules and the teacher turned the desk over, dumping the prints on the floor, then banded him from bringing any more prints or his camera into the classroom.

In 2nd grade the principle heard Tom drew little pictures on his home work and asked Tom to draw pictures that could decorate the papers sent home to parents and for decorations around the school.  Tom did this regularly through out elementary school.

Attended Cooper High School in New Hope, MN

where the Flexible Modular Scheduling allowed Tom the opportunity to pursue his interest in art. Tom filled the class room with hanging mobiles influenced by Alexander Calder and created unique light sculptures.

Tom’s neighbor, Smitty Schuneman,  a University of Minnesota Photojournalism professor at the , gave Tom small assignments to assist in his personal projects.  Tom incorporated his own photographs into invitations he created when Smitty had a reception at his home for visiting photographers at his department including Ernst Haas and William Albert Allard.  Tom help Smitty with his independent multi-media presentations that eventually led Smitty to leave the U of M to start up Media Loft, a successful multi-media production company in Minneapolis.

Attended the Minneapolis College of Art and Design studied and received BFA Degree majoring in Film Making and Color Photography.

Took six months off from college to hitch-hike around Europe and spent three months photographing the people and landscapes in Morocco.

Climb Incorporated: Creative Learning Ideas for Mind and Body.

Sweet Potato/City Pages

Freelance photography for Sweet Potato/City Pages photographing musicians and performances in Minneapolis/St. Paul.

Associate Producer – KTCA-TV

Minnesota Public Television: Assisting in the production Cultural Affairs television program segments.

Media Producer – Sperry/Unisys

Media Producer, Sperry/Unisys: Worked at this large corporate defense contractor producing videos, photography, graphics and dynamic interactive presentation material for technical training, executive summaries, corporate presentations and internet/intranet applications.

Media Producer – Northwest Airlines

Northwest Airlines: Produced videos, photography, graphics and computer presentations for training and corporate programs.

Tom left Northwest Airlines and began producing some of the first 360-degree photos and Virtual Tours in the mid-west and helped form the local affiliate of 360house.com now know as Obeo and shooting 360s for more than 500 homes for sale listed by dozens of realtors in the region.