Tom brings almost two decades of expertise to provide strategic counsel and communications support to clients on a wide range of high-profile corporate events and special situations. His engagements include mergers and acquisitions, shareholder activism, governmental and legal concerns and crisis management. Tom also assists clients with ongoing investor relations, corporate communications and public relations programs.

Mergers & Acquisitions

He works with clients on both friendly and unsolicited transactions. Notable engagements include SunTrust Banks’ acquisition of Pillar Financial; SunTrust Banks and BB&T on its merger of equals; Inspire Brands on its acquisition of Dunkin’ Brands; Norfolk Southern on its acquisition of the Cincinnati Southern Railway; and Verizon on its proposed acquisition of Frontier Communications.

Crisis Management and Preparedness

Tom develops and executes communications strategies to help companies advance their business objectives and protect their reputations in a variety of situations. Examples include management succession, geopolitical events, societal issues, unplanned leadership changes, government investigations, regulatory actions, litigation, and workforce reorganizations and reductions. Tom applies a deep understanding of the political landscape with a strong grasp of the media environment to help clients spot vulnerabilities and create preparedness plans to help guard their reputations.

Litigation, Investigations and Regulatory Matters

From state and federal criminal and civil investigations to Congressional hearings, Tom develops communications strategies that support a company’s legal position while protecting its reputation. He partners with legal counsel and government affairs teams to help companies prepare for important milestones and maximize opportunities to rebuild trust.

Investor Relations & Corporate Communications

Tom works closely with management teams and outside financial and legal advisors to develop and enhance clients’ investor relations materials and strategies to ensure key messages resonate with internal and external stakeholders, including around quarterly earnings, planned leadership changes and other corporate events. He also works with clients to enhance their overall corporate communications strategy, including corporate positioning, profile-raising, thought leadership and employee communications.

Tom joined Joele Frank from Norfolk Southern, where he led internal and external communications. Prior to that role, he led corporate communications for Inspire Brands, served as head of media relations for Truist Financial, and was head of communications for SunTrust’s Wholesale Banking segment, which included corporate and investment banking, commercial, banking, commercial real estate, and treasury. Tom began his career on Capitol Hill, where he led communications for a leading banking trade association, served as the senior communications advisor to two Members of Congress, and on the staff of the House Committee on Oversight.

He earned a BA in political science and economics from Purdue University, and an MBA in strategy from the Goizueta Business School at Emory University. Tom is a member of the Arthur W. Page Society’s Page Up and the Financial Communications Society.