By Thomas Gibbons
“Life is more interesting when you are busy.”
Q: Why did you come to Dominican for your MBA in Marketing?
A: I went to work for GATX, a global leader in railcar leasing. I got a job there right out of college after I graduated from Illinois State. After a year of working, I wanted to earn my MBA. I grew up in Elmwood Park and what was intriguing to me about Dominican (Rosary College at the time) was the location to where I lived and the flexibility to continue to work during the day and graduate studies in the evening. Dominican University had a great reputation and it was a perfect fit geographically to continue to my education. I really enjoyed pursuing my MBA because while working full time I felt my education was more relevant as I was applying what I was learning at Dominican to what I was learning at GATX.
Q: You have been at GATX for over 30 years now. How did you
get your start there and what keeps bringing you back?
A: A friend of mine’s father was working at GATX and told me about an opening. The job was a portfolio manager for railroad equipment. So, I pursued the interview and I thought it was interesting enough to take the job even though I had very limited knowledge about the railroad industry. At the time I had no idea I would be working at GATX for 30 years but it is truly a fascinating company. GATX is 121 years old, publicly traded since 1916 and has not missed a dividend payment since 1919 making it one a few publicly traded companies with that track record. What gets me up every day is I really enjoy my team, my job and the people at the company. In fact, our top 20 customers we have done business with on average of 47 years. North America’s rail system is heavily focused on moving freight and it is amazing that amount of product that is shipped via rail every day.
Q: You are on the board of trustees of the Pro Football Hall of Fame. How did you land that position?
A: One of my clients and a great friend who was a former President of a company I dealt with introduced me to the Hall of Fame 15 years ago. He is still on the board of trustees to this day. He invited me to Canton as his guest and I would have what I would define as a social relationship with the Executive Team and staff at the HOF. About nine years ago, the former President of the Hall of Fame had a vision to create an advisory board made up of executives who are from different parts of the country. They would represent the Hall of Fame, help spread the message, promote the brand, develop business opportunities and assist with fundraising. I was invited to interview for the position and was proud to be elected an Advisory Board member representing Chicago. Shortly being elected, I started an event called the Pro Football Hall of Fame Salute to Greatness. Along with Mary Owen, another advisory board member and former executive of the Buffalo Bills, we have been proud to host for 8 years at the Glen Club in Glenview Illinois. The entire event is a fundraiser which raises money for the Pro Football Hall of Fame and the Beyond Sports Foundation which is based right here in Illinois and where I also serve as an advisory board member. Last year I was honored to be elected to the Board of Trustees of the Pro Football Hall of Fame which I share with several Canton Ohio executives, NFL owners, the commissioner of the NFL and a few Hall of Famers.
Q: Outside of GATX and the Hall of Fame, what are some of your hobbies and experiences you have had?
A: I keep myself pretty busy. I spend a lot of time with my family and I have a real passion for golf. Working for GATX and the Hall of Fame, I can bring clients into the Hall of Fame experience. It is fun sharing the Hall of Fame with customers and it has been a benefit I get to enjoy. This year I was able to be inside the room with Peter King, Sal Paolantonio and all of the sports writers who are responsible for voting in this year’s Hall of Fame class. It is impressive to witness the amount of research and preparation that goes into evaluating each player before making a final selection.
Q: Going back to the Salute to Greatness and the Beyond Sports Foundation, how did this foundation tie into the Hall of Fame?
A: It made sense that since we are doing the event in Chicago and a lot of people who attend the event are from Chicago that we should do something to benefit a local foundation. I met the executive director at the time who sold me on the great work they were doing. The Beyond Sports Foundation uses the power of sport to transform lives by turning athletic ability into life opportunity which is a great fit for our event. While we are trying to raise money for Beyond Sports we feel we can also help shine a brighter light on the foundation through the affiliation with the Pro Football Hall of Fame. At our event, we have had the opportunity for Hall of Famers to meet with some of the student athletes and let them hear the message that their road to greatness had some of the same challenges that these young men and women have had.
tgibbons@my.dom.edu
