In 1976, Tom dropped out of graduate school to tour as a lighting technician at concert sound and lighting giant Showco, Inc. in Dallas, Texas.

After four years touring with artists such as Paul McCartney and Wings and Led Zeppelin, he contemplated returning to school - then Showco engineers began designing the first practical automated stage-lighting system, soon known as Vari-Lite, and he stayed on to assist the engineering team with the Vari-Lite project.

He then programmed and operated the system’s first use on the Genesis Abacab world tour in 1981.   

Tom toured with many other concert artists, such as The Who, Don Henley, ZZ Top, and David Bowie.

After the sale of Vari-Lite in 2002, Tom joined ETC, Inc. in Middleton, WI as the Fixtures Product Manager and later Outreach Specialist concentrating on the introduction of ETC’s LED fixture product line to its core theatrical lighting market.

In August 2020 he retired after 17 years at ETC.

Tom and wife Stacy have two children and now reside in Bella Vista, Arkansas.