Tom Goeritz

Pilot. Poet. Preacher. Teacher.

Tom Goeritz grew up in the small southern Minnesota town of Morristown, population 750.  His father owned a grocery store and locker plant; Tom spent many hours helping in the grocery business.  After high school, he attended Mankato State College.  While going to school full time, he worked at a lumber yard and bartended in order to pay for his schooling. He received a degree in Recreation and Park Administration.  He obtained an MBA from St. Thomas in 1984 while once again working full-time. 

For most of his career, he has worked in the senior housing field as a VP of Operations.  At the height of his career, he oversaw more than 22 nursing homes, numerous housing projects, 2 hospitals, and 2 clinics, managing over $ 150 million in operations. 

He has faced adversity; he is a survivor of both cancer and a brain tumor.  He has always loved the outdoors, and hunting and fishing have played a large part in his life from a very early age.  Many of his stories talk about the “duck shack,” a special retreat for him.  He often says he is blessed to have so many people he can call a friend. 

Tom has always challenged himself; while attending college, he taught himself taxidermy.  Some of his many talents include being a private pilot, auctioneer, poet, instructor at both the U of Minn. and Luther NW Seminary, and preacher (officiated his two stepdaughters’ weddings and conducted numerous Sunday church services). He has scuba and skydiving, cross-country and downhill skiing, and enjoys playing horseshoe, golf, and boating with the family. 

His personal philosophy is “Attitude is Everything,” and he endorses the belief that the “joy of life is the trip.”