Tommy received his first merit badge at the age of six and the embroidered patches consumed him. After failing to attend high school for a year while trying to complete the requirements for every merit badge possible, Tommy joined Sir Speedy Scouts, but he quit after only a few months, realizing that all of their merit badges sucked.

Tommy graduated from The Cooper Union School of Art in 1992, but stuck around for the next four years to work at Cooper Union's Center for Design and Typography. There, Tommy was responsible for much of the institution's printed design, including catalogs, signage, exhibition and various other materials and publications. In addition to designing, Tommy taught as an adjunct faculty member at the Cooper Union for two years and is currently teaching a Photoshop based Illustration course at The School of Visual Arts.

Other than all of that, Tommy spends much time in the Chopping Block Oval Office fulfilling his duties as Scout Leader (and polishing his lucky coin -- the one with heads on both sides).