Four years were spent in Los Angeles pursuing an acting career. His appearance as a wrestling referee on Saved by the Bell: The College Years in late 1993 seemed to be a promising start to an acting career. Later, he teamed up with fellow Toledo comedian Mark Zink and started a successful writing career. He and Mark completed several feature film screenplays, a pilot and several episodes for a sit-com. Their first screenplay was well received in Hollywood and although they came close and had two deals offered, a successful deal never concluded.

Tom returned to Toledo in 1997 with plans to shoot a sketch comedy TV pilot. This project was completed in 1998 and shopped but did not find a distributor. You can find clips of several sketches by going to http://aroundthebendplayers.com/VideoClips.html and clicking on Cop Cutbacks, Bounty Hunter School and Father Gucci.

Tom's next challenge was to assemble an improvisational comedy troupe, The Around the Bend Players. This troupe continues its long and successful run in the northwest Ohio area with performances running the gamut from a weekly show to private parties and corporate events. You can find clips of several improv sketches by going to http://aroundthebendplayers.com/VideoClips.html and clicking on the improv titles.

While pursuing these creative endeavors, Tom spent a year teaching an introductory course in visual communications at Bowling Green State University and another year teaching improvisation and filmmaking at the fledgling Toledo School for the Arts. He continues to offer private acting instruction and coaching and teaches several workshops for the actor.

In January of 2001, Tom decided that the time was right to produce a film from his original screenplay, In the Company of Strangers. He spent the remainder of that winter finishing his screenplay and searching for financing. In April he held auditions. In May he continued the funding search and on June 20, the camera rolled. Twenty-four shooting days later, he had his first feature in the can and eight credit cards maxed out.

In November of 2001, Tom screened In the Company of Strangers to a sold out black tie crowd at Toledo's Valentine Theater. Nine hundred people attended the screening which raised $20,000 for David's House, an AIDS outreach center in Toledo that was the location for much of the action in the movie.

The film won the award for Best Dramatic Feature Film at the Telluride IndieFest in 2002 and the Key West IndieFest in 2003. It has also been honored with the Best Director - Gold Medal for Excellence at the Park City Film Music Festival in Park City, Utah in 2005 and a Best Dramatic Feature Film award at the New York International Independent Film & Video Festival.

In 2003 Tom teamed up with Cleveland filmmaker Deb Halinski to make a documentary about a recovering drug addict and alcoholic who now runs Ironman Triathlons. This award winning film is called ADDICT.

In 2004, Tom was contacted by LA filmmakers Kirby Dick and Eddie Schmidt who subsequently hired him to handle camera operator duties and location production on their 2005 Oscar-nominated documentary Twist of Faith.

Today finds Tom working as an executive communications coach and trainer while continuing with his film projects, working with The Around the Bend Players, and continuing to develop and fine-tune the projects and offerings offered through this website.