After ten years of full-time and part-time experience with the City of Mississauga (Ontario) Recreation and Parks Department, Tom has spent the last seventeen years as an Instructor/Lecturer/Professor at a number of educational institutions in Canada, including the Alberta Vocational Colleges in Grouard and Lac La Biche, Red Deer College, University of Alberta, Acadia University, and for eleven years at Malaspina University-College.  Tom's current research focus is on the measurement of the attitudes of local residents to the social impacts of community festivals.  Other areas of interest include:  community recreation leadership, commercial recreation resources, and tourist motivations.  Tom and the rest of the recreation and tourism management faculty at Malaspina enjoyed hosting the Eleventh Canadian Congress on Leisure Research in May 2005, and look forward to seeing you in Montreal at Concordia University in 2008!

Tom is also an avid practitioner of a time-honoured tradition, the baritone saxophone.  He is honoured to have a regular chair in the Big Bands of Red Deer College, Acadia University (1, 2), and Malaspina University-College, and is also a member of the Malaspina Saxophone Quartet and the Nanaimo Musicians' Association Big Band.  Currently a member of the exciting acid jazz/funk fusion outfit the Pocket Rockets, Tom encourages you to get out and support local arts and culture in your own community!  While you are at it, check out Tom's alter ego DJ Doc, as he co-hosts the Impending Loom on Friday from 5:00-8:00PM Pacific and spins jazz on Vitamin J on Saturday from 8:00-10:00am Pacific...listen live online at Nanaimo's campus/community radio station  CHLY 101.7 FM Radio Malaspina.

Tom is also excited about the Toronto Maple Leafs chances of taking the Stanley Cup this season, and counts as one of his sporting highlights his attendance at the final Leaf game held at Maple Leaf Gardens on February 13, 1999.