Tom Olson gives his all to his community

A longtime resident of suburban Chicago’s Melrose Park, Tom Olson is an indefatigable supporter of a multitude of youth, civic and charitable organizations, earning a plethora of awards for his efforts to actively fundraise and lend his creative skills pro bono.

So how much time does Olson devote to public service?

“Unlimited, to ensure success,” he replies. “I love what I do and the people I do it with! Seeing the joy in the people’s faces that we help makes everything worthwhile.”

Olson retired in 2012 after close to three decades of work for his alma mater, Triton College in nearby River Grove. He started there as graphic designer in 1983, and rose through the ranks to hold the positions of director of creative services and executive director of marketing.

He was recognized as Communicator of the Year by the National Council for Marketing and Public Relations in 1998 and received the Triton College President’s Excellence in Service Award in 2010.

As soon as he retired, Olson took on the role of president of the Triton College Foundation Board of Directors, which he still holds. He describes the board as “a one-of-a-kind, good group of people with big golden hearts who always step up to ensure every fundraising initiative we present is successful.”

The Foundation’s major initiatives include the President’s Reception, which serves as its main fundraising event, along with an annual golf outing, a Pathway to Success naming opportunities program, a scholarship program, and a Giving Tuesday end-of-year campaign.

“Tom has always been an advocate for Triton College,” says Leyden Township Assessor and foundation board member Al Biancalana. “When we elected him to be president of the foundation he brought it to a whole new level. He did it by selecting new proactive board members and by using his networking skills to attract prospective donors very successfully.”

Olson also serves as president of the Veterans Park District board, for which he was first elected commissioner in 2003. During his tenure, the district has worked on renovating all of its parks and facilities, including an indoor soccer field, pickleball courts, a golf simulator, walking tracks, splash pads, outdoor exercise equipment, bocce ball courts, a canoe/kayak launch, sport lighting and easy access parking lots, he says.

Additionally, two new parks have been built in honor of veterans: one that recognizes those who lost their lives in the Vietnam War, and the other honoring all veterans.

Olson also serves on the School District 89 Education Foundation board and is a member of two of its committees — scholarship and grants, and marketing and visibility — working to help raise funds, forge partnerships and explore opportunities to benefit the school community.

He is also a Proviso Township trustee and serves on the board of the Proviso Public Partnership nonprofit, for which he fundraises and uses “every possible communication vehicle” to promote their services, he says.

While Olson was growing up, Melrose Park was a predominantly Italian-American community. His family lived on the second floor of a two-flat with his grandparents residing on the first floor.

His maternal grandfather, Vincenzo Pastore, a native of Modugno, near Bari, Italy, arrived in the United States in 1919 and worked in the construction industry. His grandmother Della reconnected with him in New York, then the couple moved to Indiana and later Illinois.

“We gathered on Sundays and holidays for traditional Italian family dinners, most of the time hosted in the basement of our dwelling or at one of my aunt’s houses, oftentimes with more than 30 people joining in to enjoy the tight-knit get-togethers,” Olson recalls.

Olson’s immediate family includes his mother, Vivian; father, Harold; two brothers, Chris and Doug; sister-in-law, Mary Ann (married to Chris); and two nieces, Alexis and Paige (his goddaughter).

Olson is a 1970 graduate of Stevenson Grammar School in Melrose Park, a 1974 graduate of Proviso East High School in Maywood, a 1977 graduate of Triton College, and a parishioner of Our Lady of Mount Carmel Catholic Church in Melrose Park.

In his free time, he enjoys golfing, following sports and getting together with family and friends.

The numerous service awards he has received over time include being honored as Man of the Year at the 114th Annual Feast of Our Lady of Mount Carmel in 2007, and Man of the Year by the Melrose Park Flowers of Italy Club in 2009.

In 2011, Olson was honored at the 19th Annual Triton College Foundation President’s Reception for his dedication to public service, community and the pursuit of excellence in education. He received the Triton College Student Association Award of Prestige in 2012, and two years later, the association recognized him as Person of the Year for his unwavering passion and support for the student body. In 2015, he was an inaugural inductee into the Triton College Alumni Wall of Fame.

He also was honored by the Missionary Sisters of St. Charles Borromeo, Scalabrinians, receiving its Frank A. Mungo Award at the organization’s annual dinner in 2015.

In 2020, he was honored by the Grand Corridor Chamber of Commerce (Mont Clare/Elmwood Park/River Grove) with a Community Advancement Award for his tireless efforts to help the growth and prosperity of local communities and their residents.

In March, Olson was the recipient of the Italian American Political Coalition’s Public Service Leadership Award.

“The recognition wouldn’t have happened if it weren’t for my outstanding family, terrific friends and loyal colleagues,” he says. “I’m blessed.”