Tom is a veterinary management specialist, fueled by curiosity, empathy, and a general dissatisfaction for the status quo.
He graduated from the University of Guelph and worked as an Equity and Options Trader for the investment arm of TD Canada Trust for five years. Concurrently, Tom studied human resources and small business management at Seneca College in Toronto. When the right business partner was found in 1998, he co-founded the first AAHA accredited veterinary practice in Waterloo, Ontario.
In 2002, his desire to improve practice performance and team development led him to complete AAHA’s Veterinary Management Institute program at Purdue University’s Krannert Graduate School of Management. He became credentialed as a Certified Veterinary Practice Manager in 2007, and a Certified Compassion Fatigue Professional in 2017.
Over 11 years, Tom held various positions on the Veterinary Hospital Managers Association (VHMA) Board of Directors; including founding Ethics Committee Chair, Canadian Director, and Vice President. Strong communication and collaboration skills led to him to being elected President of the Association in 2011. Tom has long enjoyed sharing ideas and supporting the veterinary community. He co-founded the Ontario Veterinary Managers Group in 2006, to provide support and mentorship to hospital managers in southern Ontario. Over the years, he’s mentored colleagues to multiple manager and technician of the year nominations and awards.
In recent years, he's been cognizant of the increasingly competitive veterinary marketplace that demands practices up their game to match the advanced management resources of larger practices. After 15 years of practice ownership, it was time for Tom to reach out and support the veterinary community in an even greater way to meet this demand, so he created Practice Maven.
Tom is passionate about creating improved client experiences through the professional management and support of veterinary practices and their healthcare teams. Practice Maven puts advanced, innovative management services in the hands of the practice owner, allowing the hospital and support team to benefit from the extensive support structure of larger and corporate practices. A higher performing practice and health care team results in an enhanced client experience and improved pet care results. All this is attainable with Tom, Practice Maven and your practice leadership.
In his spare time, you can find Tom leading remote wilderness sea kayaking and canoe trips, reading, swimming, biking, running, snowshoeing, yoga and just about any activity that keeps him outside with his twin children and northern cocktail husky rescue. He is an accomplished baker of artisan breads and continues to search for his hidden musical talent by tenaciously strumming his green ukulele.