Tom retired in 2000 after 35 years of service at NASA Ames Research Center. At the time of his retirement he was Acting Chief of the Systems Analysis Branch in the Aeronautical Projects and Programs Office. During his years at NASA he had many assignments related to the conceptual design and technical research of advanced subsonic, supersonic and hypersonic concepts that range from general aviation and V/STOL aircraft to transatmospheric vehicles. He developed a number of conceptual design analysis models, which have been used in government and industry. He also managed studies with industry, to identify the technical research needs of a variety of advanced aircraft concepts.
He was a member of the NASA team that received the 1987 Collier Award for the Advanced Turboprop Project. He received the NASA Exceptional Service Medal in 1993 for the development of a unique methodology to evaluate aircraft economic parameters for key NASA aeronautical programs. He was a member of the NASA Inter-Center Systems Analysis Team (ISAT) that received the 2000 Administrator's Award.
Tom was a senior member of the AIAA, and has served on the Air Transportation Systems TC and the Aircraft Design TC. He was an AIAA Distinguished Lecturer for 1990/91, and holds an Aeronautical Engineering degree from the University of Michigan. While at NASA, he was a guest lecturer in the aeronautical engineering departments at University of Michigan, Georgia Institute of Technology, Penn State University and Cal Poly University.
Prior to joining NASA he developed aerothermodynamic analysis methods used in the design of the Titan IIIC sold rocket system at United Technology’s Chemical Systems Division. For three years, after retiring from NASA, he was a professional advisor for the Aerospace Design Laboratory in the Aeronautical Engineering Department of the Georgia Institute of Technology. Tom and his wife, Suzette, reside in San Jose, California and have two grown daughters.