Biography
Tom is the former President and CEO of LendingTree and an early stage member of the team that built the company from a small start up to a national brand, and the country’s leader in online lending. He now runs Red Dog Ventures, a venture capital and advisory firm focused on helping early stage companies in the digital arena achieve the next level of growth.

Tom started as LendingTree’s chief marketing officer in 1999 launching the successful “When Banks Compete, You Win” advertising campaign. He assumed the role of Chief Operating Officer in 2000, and President & COO in 2001. For the next several years, he helped the company go public, survive the collapse of the Internet bubble, and ultimately become a highly profitable, high growth company. LendingTree was acquired by IAC/InterActiveCorp in 2003. He then assumed the role of CEO of LendingTree, LLC in late 2005.

In 2008, Tom became the CEO of Richard Petty Motorsports, a top NASCAR team that fielded four cars in the top Sprint Cup Series with drivers Kasey Kahne, Elliott Sadler, Reed Sorenson and A.J. Allmendinger. The team achieved three wins in 2008 and expanded from three to four teams in 2009.

Earlier in his career, Tom spent seventeen years in the consumer packaged goods industry including five years at Coca-Cola USA, where he ran the Coca-Cola brand as Vice President, Consumer Marketing, and played a lead role in the business strategy that resulted in Coca Cola’s entry into the bottled water market with Dasani bottled water. Prior to Coca-Cola, he spent twelve years with Kraft General Foods in various brand management and finance capacities.

In addition to working with LoyalNation and its client partners, Tom serves as a Director of Valassis Communications Inc., NYSE: VCI, Tanger Factory Outlet Centers Inc., NYSE: SKT, and is on the board of trustees of Queens University of Charlotte. He has served in the past on the board of R.H. Donnelly Corp., and within the Charlotte community as the Founding Chair of the board of advisors at The McColl School of Business, and on the boards of The Charlotte Housing Trust Fund, The Charlotte Heart Walk, and Junior Achievement of the Central Carolinas.