My Passions
My Family
Nothing is more important to me than my family. I have helped raise 4 children – and celebrated 182 birthdays with them. I now have 8 grandchildren. My commitment to my children and grandchildren is that I will do my best to hand over to them a better America, a re-energized and just America.
This photograph is of my grandfather, Charles P.Taft, speaking with his father, the former President, as he headed off to World War I. He left college to serve. Members of my family have served in public office almost continuously for two hundred years, starting with Peter Rawson Taft, who served in the Vermont legislature in the 1820s. Peter’s son, Alphonso, served in a number of positions and was appointed US Attorney General. His son, William Howard Taft (WHT), served as both President and Supreme Court Chief Justice. WHT’s son, Robert was the United States Senator, my grandfather was Mayor of Cincannati. Robert’s son was Governor of Ohio. My father, Seth Taft, was elected as County Commissioner for Cuyahoga County which includes all of Cleveland,Ohio. Honest public service is part of my DNA.
Non-Profit & Public Management
For 29 years I served as the Chief Operating and Financial Officer for Germantown Academy, and I have a Masters of Public and Private Management from Yale University. I wrote an article in 2013 for the Philadelphia Business Journal about Non-Profit Management. The article continues to accurately convey my beliefs about excellent non-profit management – with the lessons and challenges applying equally well to public/governmental management.
I served as the Vice Chair of the PAISBOA Health Benefit Trust – A healthcare self-insurance program that covered over 18,000 teachers and staff. In 2021 I was awarded the John Batly Award
https://www.paisboa.org/tom-taft-2021-batley-award
In 1981 I helped found and served as the first Head of the Board of The Anacapa School — an experiential learning school in Santa Barbara. It is thriving 45 years later.
Teaching & Coaching
I served as a full time Middle School teacher for 7 years, and years later returned to education in my role at Germantown Academy. In addition to my administrative position, I had the opportunity to teach elective classes and coach Track & Field. In 2014 I was selected to give the graduation address.
When I retired, I was honored by the school’s support for me. It is important to note that my connection with Germantown Academy does not imply that the Academy endorses my candidacy. The Board of Trustees does not ever endorse political candidates.
Net-Zero Construction
Net-Zero Construction is one of my compelling passions. Please visit my Net Zero Construction page for more details.
Dancing
What would life be without music and a beat? I have loved dancing my whole life. As author Vicki Baum wrote, “There are short cuts to happiness, and dancing is one of them.”
Although he weighed 300 pounds, President Taft was light on his feet and loved to dance. President McKinley appointed him to be the first Governor of the Philippines, after the Spanish-American war. In order to show their respect for the Filipino people, Taft and his wife, Nellie, learned the complicated Filipino dance, the Rigodon. Pretty much blew everyone away at the first State dinner.
Pole Vaulting
As 7th grader, I watched a classmate pole vault and that same year I watched Rafer Johnson win the Olympic Decathlon. I knew immediately that pole vaulting and the decathlon were what I wanted to do forever. In May of 1970, I broke the Yale Pole Vault record, and after graduation traveled to Santa Barbara to train year-round for the decathlon. I hoped to qualify to compete in the 1972 Olympic trials. I needed 7600 points. I scored 7329 and loved every minute of our training. There were 25 athletes from around the world all training together.
