Tom Anson is a new member of the Athletic Department team and will be serving as the Athletic Communication Assistant creating content for the department's website, Oakton-Owls.com, and socials. Leading up to this position he has worked as a professional sports photographer working with several local high schools and is currently the staff photographer for the professional baseball team, the Schaumburg Boomers. He also works with other colleges in the area promoting their sport’s teams with photography, social media posts and graphics.
His background includes running a successful graphic design company for over twenty years. Some of his clients included Farmers Insurance and Comcast. His desire to communicate a narrative around sports is what truly drives him. To be able to tell the story of the authentic effort it takes to be a great athlete or team is front and center in his current efforts.
His whole career since graduating with a journalism degree from Northern Illinois is to help tell the story. His first job was as a television reporter in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. He enjoyed reporting but eventually relocated to the Chicago area where he then managed and worked closely with a large photographer’s studio in downtown Chicago. After that he started his own company, Hot Potato Creative. There is where most of his professional experience lies, helping to tell the stories of large companies with graphics and the written word.
Now he works telling the stories, through the written word and images, of the college athlete. He believes the values learned from the ups and downs of being in a competitive arena teaches all of us the values to endure and grow. He loves being on the sidelines helping describe the journey of what it takes to be a better athlete and team.
On a personal note, he is married for over 30 years and enjoys a great workout whether on a bike or with weights. He also loves to watch a great story told via a streaming show or movie. Of course, it must be a well written one with intense and smart dialogue.
