This week we will meet Tom Wasmoen! As you may or may not know, Tom is the founder of Firm Ground, our CEO, and Managing Principal. We let Tom answer a few more questions so you can really get an idea of who he is, and what he brings to our organization and to you!
1. What is your favorite thing about your career?
Where do I begin, I love meeting new people every day and building relationships that last for years and years. Watching the team grow and stretch and get better and better with each passing year is the most rewarding part of what I do. Getting to build is also a pretty fantastic aspect of my career. The variety of projects and the success of our customers has to be number one on the list!
2. What is your proudest accomplishment?
My family!
3. What is your favorite book to read?
I read all the time and have a pile of books on my bedside table. Topics include business, science fiction, mystery, and historical fiction.
4. If you could choose to do anything for a day, what would it be?
Timesheets! Ha ha, just kidding.
I love meeting people and working through their vision for their projects. It’s the best part of the process and I would love to do it every single day!
5. If you could go back in time, what year would you travel to?
I had extended family in Chicago in the 1930’s of some prominence, my mom and her family travelled to Chicago to visit them. I have a bracelet her folks bought for her at Chicago World’s Fair in 1933. I would love to see the fairgrounds in 1933 and Chicago during that time. The style of the architecture and Art Deco created for the fair influences the design world still today!
6. If you were a super-hero, what powers would you have?
Action Comics just issued #1000, Superman Celebrates his 80th birthday this year! Superman is the best, his greatest superpower is his capacity for Love! It is the basis of his being. The flying part is cool too!
7. If you could go back in time to change one thing, what would it be?
I would go back to Valentines Day this year and have done a better job of ducking as I crawled through the roof scuttle on a jobsite and not banged my head!
I read a lot of time travel fiction, anything else can really screw up the timeline and I like the way things are going right now so I’d keep it as it is!
8. If you could share a meal with any 4 individuals, living or dead, who would they be?
PT Barnum, Albert Einstein, J Paul Getty, and my grandfather Tom Burke
9. What's the tallest building you've been to the top in?
I’ve been to the top of The Sears Tower in Chicago, its where I asked Barb to marry me, and we’ve been to the top of the Empire State Building in New York together too!
12. What is your favorite childhood memory?
Riding our bikes to Clancy’s Toys at 50th & France to see how much we could get for our allowance money! Clancy’s Toyland was a magical place that I have never seen recreated anywhere, certainly not at Toys R Us or even FAO Schwartz in New York.
13. What three items would you take with you on a deserted island?
Barb, a satellite phone and a strong tent!
14. Do you collect anything?
More than Barb would like!
· Hot Wheels, Corgis & Matchbox
· Antique toys
· Chicago World’s Fair ephemera
· Antique postcards of amazing architecture
· Disney
· Books
· Comics
· Baseball cards
· Lead Soldiers
· Bells
· Building sets from the 1960’s
· Star Trek Stuff
15. What's your favorite zoo animal?
Just love Giraffes. Would love to live someplace where we could raise them!
16. What's your favorite family recipe?
Not sure but it probably has something to do with Mac & Cheese!
17. What would you sing at Karaoke night?
What wouldn’t I sing on Karaoke night? Right now, I am totally hooked on the music form the movie The Greatest Showman! I’ve also been caught belting out a Garth Brooks song or two during a Karaoke night!
18. What did you think you would grow out of but haven’t?
A love for toys & the graphic design of comic books and the smell of fresh baseball cards coming out of the wrapper! And hell yes, I miss the gum!
19. What is the strangest thing you have come across?
On the beach, we found these sea creatures attached to the rocks, they looked like purple nerf balls and they weren’t jelly fish, they had a firm skin. They were kind of creepy…
20. If you could convince everyone in the world to do one thing at one point in time, what would that thing be?
Pick up garbage in the ocean, along the beach, etc. and figure out how to safely recycle or reuse all of it!
21. What would be your ideal way to spend the weekend?
Travelling and exploring someplace new! Later, curled up with a book and a bowl of Mac & Cheese! A weekend trip to Disney World would also be an exceptional way to spend a long weekend!
22. What could you give a 40-minute presentation on with absolutely no preparation?
Toys of the 1960’s especially Mattel Hot Wheels!
Architecture, the Partnering aspects of Design Build!