Tom is a retired college and high school music educator.  He taught high school band in Missouri and Arkansas and was hired to direct the marching and jazz bands at Arkansas State University in 1978.  In 1988, Tom began teaching classroom music while continuing to direct the jazz band.  After earning a DMA in Composition and Theory, he taught music theory classes and private composition lessons.  

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Tom served as Music Department chairman from 2003 until 2009 and returned to classroom duties until he retired in 2013.

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He continues to compose and arrange for various groups including Jubilation Jazz.  After playing with various groups over his career, Tom counts Jubilation Jazz as a great group with which to end his playing career.

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Tom and his wife Renee live in Jonesboro and have three children and three grandchildren.