Tom was born in Canton, Ohio in 1960 and grew up in the area, graduating from Timken High School in 1978. Tom has been married to his beloved wife Linda for 25 years who he has known since their childhood. Tom and Linda have three children � two daughters, Valarie (23 years), Rachel (16 years) and one son, Samuel (14 years).

When he was 28 years old Tom received Jesus Christ as his personal Lord and Saviour on July 2, 1989 at a Sunday morning church service conducted at the First Baptist Church of New Philadelphia, New Philadelphia, Ohio. Shortly thereafter he was baptized by immersion and joined the First Baptist Church. After working in the medical equipment rental/sales industry for over 20 years, in 1998 he withdrew from the medical field as the vice president of Richards Medical, Inc. to enter into full-time vocational ministry. Tom believes he is nothing more than a beggar who was shown a banqueting table; likewise he desires to show others where he found eternal sustenance.

Tom completed a four year curriculum at the New Philadelphia Shepherds School of Ministry which included in-depth theological and biblical training as well as a variety of practical, detailed ministerial instructions from experienced pastors and Bible teachers. He was licensed to preach the gospel and teach the Bible on February 2 nd , 1998. He served a two-year internship in New Philadelphia and was officially ordained a Baptist minister of the Gospel on March 23rd , 2000 during a public service at the First Baptist Church of New Philadelphia.

Faithfully serving in his local church at New Philadelphia, Tom was a 5th grade Sunday school teacher, Junior church leader and preacher, director of the young married age-based Sunday school, director and pastor of the singles ministry, and has taught numerous adult elective classes on Sunday mornings, Tuesday and Wednesday nights. He has written a variety of Sunday School curriculum and courses in use today in likeminded churches. He was the first layman to direct the discipleship ministry at First Baptist of New Philadelphia and taught the discipleship certification classes for all graduated disciples. Having participated in over 18 overseas mission trips lasting from 2 to 10 weeks at a time, Tom has personally trained and led many discipleship teams in the U.S. and abroad.

Tom is a preacher, Bible teacher, and biblical counselor. Tom continues to preach at camp meetings, seminars, revival meetings at various churches in the U.S and abroad. He is also a pastor / teacher at the Jackson Bible Institute and School of Ministry. Having been sent out from the First Baptist Church of New Philadelphia to plant a church in March of 2000, Tom is the founding Pastor of the First Baptist Church of Jackson.