East High Alumni Association: Served as Past President and inducted to the East High School Alumni Association Hall of Fame.

East High School Foundation Board: Tom’s service and leadership on this board has helped result in over $180,000 in scholarship funds for East High graduating seniors.

Criminal Justice Coordinating Council: As one of the first members of the Criminal Justice Coordinating Council in 2008 Tom has worked with partners in the jail, the courts, the Department of Corrections, the County Attorney’s office, local law enforcement and others to find creative solutions to improve Polk County’s criminal justice system.

5th Judicial District Department of Corrections: Tom enjoys his service on this board and is committed to helping this community-based correctional agency provide services to approximately 8,000 offenders in South-Central Iowa.

Metro Waste Authority: Metro Waste Authority is an independent government agency comprised of 16 member communities, Polk County and six planning members. Established in 1969, Metro Waste Authority was designated to manage the landfill for the Polk County area and is now the leader in environmental stewardship and cost-effective waste management.

Des Moines Area Metropolitan Planning Organization: The Des Moines Area Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) is a regional transportation planning entity comprised of local communities and transportation agencies in the Des Moines, Iowa, metropolitan region. The Des Moines Area MPO provides a regional forum to ensure coordination between the public and local, state, and federal agencies in regards to planning issues and to prepare transportation plans and programs. The Des Moines Area MPO develops both long- and short-range multimodal transportation plans, selects and approves projects for federal funding based upon regional priorities, and develops methods to reduce traffic congestion. Tom serves on the Executive Committee.

Court Avenue Security Task Force: In 2016 a series of violent crimes on Court Avenue prompted Tom to convene a group of local elected leaders and law enforcement to find a solution to this problem. As a result, Polk County, the City of Des Moines and private business owners contributed funding to allowed for an increased police presence, improved lighting and the installation of security cameras. These efforts continued in the spring of 2021 with the creation of an entertainment district that further enhanced security.

Minimum Wage Task Force: In 2016 Tom led the Polk County Board of Supervisors in establishing a task force that would make a recommendation to the Board for a County minimum wage ordinance.

City of Des Moines Neighborhood Revitalization Program Evaluation Steering Committee: The City of Des Moines undertook a process to evaluate their Neighborhood Planning and Revitalization Program to look at issues such as the adoption of a new comprehensive plan and forthcoming zoning ordinance changes. Polk County has been a strong partner with the City of Des Moines in revitalizing our neighborhoods and Tom represents Polk County as a board member on the newly created non-profit, Invest DSM.