Talyst CEO and leadership

Tom directs all aspects of Hipcricket®’s financial operations with a flexibility borne of 30 years in both small and large companies — many of them as a CFO. Soon after he arrived at Hipcricket® in 2007, Tom led the efforts that resulted in Hipcricket® going public on the London Stock Exchange His most recent position was as executive vice president and CFO for Talyst Inc., which was named one of Fast Company magazine’s ''Fast 50 Reader Favorites'' in March 2007 — an honor bestowed on firms that readers believe provide the most innovative and progressive ''profit-driven solutions for what ails the planet.'' At Talyst, that work involved providing software and equipment solutions that improve efficiency and patient safety at acute care hospitals, delivery networks, and long-term-care pharmacies. For his own contributions, Tom received the Puget Sound Business Journal’s CFO of the Year Award in the Small Private Company category. Immediately before joining Talyst, Tom was vice president of finance and administration and CFO for WizKids, a Bellevue, Wash. company that creates and sells collectible miniature games. Tom joined the company in 2001; by 2003, he was directing its sale to the Topps Co. Tom started his career in public accounting performing audit and tax work for companies in a variety of industries. He spent more than 15 years at Seafirst Bank (now Bank of America), where he was senior vice president and controller. From there, he stepped into his first CFO role, at a commercial leasing company. He subsequently served as interim CFO for two software companies, working on both funding and financial operations. Tom is active in his professional community as a member of Financial Executives International, the American Institute of CPAs, and the Washington Society of CPAs.