Tom Walter is a “serial entrepreneur’ author, speaker and a principal in numerous companies.
Tom has more than 40 years of experience as an owner-operator in the service industry. He has participated in the startup of 35 companies, is currently active in nine of those companies and has acquired three. He terminated two losing entities.
Tom remains a principal, investor and advisor for several companies, most of whom are part of 80Nine Holdings and have been co-founded by staff. These companies include:
- Tasty Catering – a leading Chicago area full-service catering and event company
- T.F. Processors – wholesale contract manufacturer of baked foods
- That’s Caring – socially responsible gift company that gives back to children food programs
- nuphoriq – marketing agency specializing in catering and event companies
- iMotorsports – motorcycle dealerships in IL, FL and online
- Touhy Capital – funding firm and employee assistance fund
- Wahalla LLC, 1499 Tonne Venture, McCabe Venture – real estate investments
Additionally, Tom is a member of the following organizations:
- Chicago Entrepreneurship Hall of Fame
- Academy of Management
- Midwest Academy of Management
- Small Giants Community
- University of Illinois – Chicago, Institute of Entrepreneurial Studies
- DePaul University’s Coleman Entrepreneurship Center
- Junto Institute
- Notre Dame College Prep Hall of Honor
Tom and Tasty Catering has been the subject of the following doctoral dissertations:
- An Ethnographic Study of Character Based Culture in a Small Business Setting, Ramon L. Benedetto, DM
- Searching for the Links Between Culture and Performance: The Role of Values Work as Emergent Values Practices in One Company’s Journey from Imagined to Transformational Change, Anna M. Amato, PhD
- Constructing Positive Organizational Identity with Virtuous Positive Practices, Basil Kuo Chih Chen, PhD
- How do Leaders Influence Virtuous Organizational Cultures? David B. Smith PhD
- Resolution of Paradoxical Tensions: Linking Founder/CEO Values to the Viability of Their Company, Barbara A. Fahey PhD
- Me to We: How Collaborative Leadership Culture Developed in an Organization, Julie S. Huffaker, PhDit’s
Tom is a co-author of:
- The award winning book It’s My Company Too!: How Entangled Company’s Move Beyond Employee Engagement for Remarkable Results
- Emerald Award winning academic journal (2015) Creating and Sustaining a Highly Engaged Company Culture in a Multigenerational Workplace Strategic HR Review, Vol.14, Iss:4 PP124-130, John Blattner PhD, Thomas J Walter Emerald Publishing
- Employee Engagement and Positive Psychological Capital, original research journal article, Organizational Dynamics, Volume 44 Issue 3, July-September 2015, Pages 185 – 195, Kenneth R. Thomson PhD, Grace Lemmon PhD, Thomas J. Walter, Elsevier Publishing
