Tom grew up in a union-supported household with a strong tradition of hard work. In the 70’s, both of Tom’s parents worked as union laborers in some of Mother Nature’s cruelest conditions on the Alaskan pipeline, and today his father is still a dues-paying member of the Laborers Local 1097 in Virginia. As an employee for the City of Hibbing, Tom’s mother was a member AFSCME 65 for many years. Tom is union-made.

Tom graduated from the University of Washington in 2012 with a B.A. in Political Science with a focus on Economics. After graduating, Tom worked as a mechanic’s apprentice and semitruck driver in his family’s heavy equipment rental company in Hibbing.

 In 2014, Tom began working in the U.S. House of Representatives for 8th District Congressman Rick Nolan. During this time, Tom advocated for expanding rural broadband and protecting our steel industry from illegally subsidized imports. Additionally, Tom performed casework to help military veterans and older adults from Northern Minnesota receive the federal benefits that they had earned and deserved.