Tom Banta
Born and raised in the Mountain West in a state that boasts more antelope than people, he found his way to Iowa with the opportunity to play college baseball. He graduated a Hawkeye with a degree in Economics before embarking on a diverse and winding path of business and relationship development opportunities.
He is a sharp dressed, smooth talking, Tough Mudder that between Crossfit workouts, and climbing the 14,000 ft peaks of Colorado spreads the gospel of the Iowa City area in an effort to attract business to the region. From Automated Vehicles and Education Technology to Natural and Organic Foods, Tom takes his work seriously, but rarely himself. He found his way to ICAD via a sorted and checkered career history with roles at Allsteel, Tippie College of Business, and community place-making with the Blue Zones Project. Along the way he has lived in Silicon Valley and Austin, TX, but proudly calls Iowa City his home.
He is married with two teenage step-sons, three dogs, and a cat that keep things interesting outside the office. He volunteers his time as a High School baseball coach, enjoys golf, cooking, and a good bike ride. The simple things in life, like good beer, good food, and good conversations along with family and friends are what he finds the most rewarding.