Answer the question:
“Why are Veterans Excellent Entrepreneurs?”
April 17, 2012
Innovation Pavilion
Click Here To Register OR: Click Here to Register Using MeetUp
9200 E. Mineral Ave, Centennial, CO
5:30 – 8:30 PM
Keynote Speaker:
Tom Deierlein, a 1989 graduate of West Point, is a successful serial entrepreneur, Airborne Ranger, Wounded Warrior and angel investor. He is passionate about leader development, business ethics, sales, overcoming adversity, and helping others less fortunate both locally and globally. Tom is the co-founder and current CEO of ThunderCat Technology, a systems integrator that specializes in data center solutions for the Federal government. Tom’s call sign in Baghdad was “ThunderCat 6″ hence the name ThunderCat Technology. In four short years, ThunderCat reached $148M in revenue and was named by Forbes as one of “America’s Most Promising Companies”. He has been a single digit employee and C-level executive at many successful start-up and early stage companies. Tom started his career in sales working for Johnson & Johnson and Parametric Technology Corporation in the mid-90′s and is currently a partner in a real estate investment firm Bull Run Properties, LLC based in Kansas City.
A Bronze Star and Purple Heart recipient, Tom is a retired U.S. Army Major and Operation Iraqi Freedom Vet. Following graduation from West Point he initially spent five years on active duty first earning his Airborne Ranger qualification and then onto various leadership positions with the prestigious Berlin Brigade. In 2005, Tom was recalled to active duty and after graduating from the JFK Special Warfare Center at Ft. Bragg, his Civil Affairs A-Team helped manage over $290 million in reconstruction and economic development projects in Sadr City. In September 2006, he was shot by a sniper and critically wounded. Originally told he may never walk again he has since completed the Army Ten-Miler and two triathlons.
He has been quoted and featured in Wall Street Journal, Forbes, The New York Times, NBC Nightly News, PARADE, FOX News, andMSNBC.com.
In the Fall of 2006 he co-founded the TD Foundation to assist Iraqi and Afghan Children. To date they have provided more than 30 life-saving surgeries, $150,000+ in school supplies, and more than $25,000 in vitamins. Tom is a Certified Peer Mentor with Wounded Warrior Project, and mentor with USSOCOM Care Coalition. He is a founding Board of Advisors member of Troops First Foundation and serves on the Board of Directors of the Joseph Riverso Foundation.
Tom earned a Masters of Science in Systems Management from the University of Southern California in 1993 and an MBA from NYU Stern School of Business in 2000. He lives with his wife Mary Beth and their two sons in Garden City, NY.