Tom Tyrrell | Founder and Managing Partner | CollaboRx LLC
Tom Tyrrell is a serial entrepreneur and social philanthropist who has spent his life building organizations that create long-term value for both people and the planet. Over the years, he has founded five for-profit companies and three non-profit organizations, with most of his work centered on education, environmental protection, and economic development. He has also served on more than twenty-five non-profit boards, many of them focused on nature-based outdoor education, and he has been a member of five college boards, holding emeritus trustee positions at two of them. Since 2008, he has chosen to work entirely pro-bono. His deep love for nature and his commitment to giving underserved youth, especially girls in STEM, regular opportunities to explore the outdoors have shaped his mission for the past seventeen years. At EliteX, we are proud to have Tom Tyrrell as part of the edition: 10 Elite CEOs in 2025.
Tom began his career in the steel industry, where he spent five decades building both business and philanthropic legacies. His path gradually shifted toward non-profit work as he realized the lasting impact of nature-based education for underserved youth. A core belief guided him through every stage of his journey: culture and caring bring out the best in people. He believes that when teams feel valued and supported, they grow into empathetic leaders who thrive professionally and personally. For Tom, a strong culture is the foundation of every strategy. He has always aimed to create environments where people feel motivated to excel and carry forward the spirit of helping others throughout their careers.
Tom leads by example and lives by the idea that there is always a way forward. He believes that this mindset, combined with a culture that respects, recognizes, and inspires individuals, remains powerful even as technology continues to reshape the world. For him, genuine human values never become outdated.
An important part of Tom’s philosophy comes from a simple idea: imagine life as a book. He started with the ending he wanted. His goal for the final chapter was clear – every person he met should be better off for having known him. Every decision he made was guided by this vision. At fifty, his wife gave him a quote that became a defining part of his legacy: what you do for yourself dies with you, but what you do for others remains and is immortal. He shaped his life to reflect this belief in selflessness and the joy of helping others without expecting anything in return.
One of the defining moments of his business career came in 1995, when his company needed a new rolling mill to protect employee jobs. The cost was far beyond what the company could manage. After meeting with potential buyers, only one offered to build the 135-million-dollar mill, but the deal required Tom to relocate to Alabama. He knew the move might not be ideal for him personally, but it was the best choice for the company and its employees. He chose the path that protected people’s livelihoods because it aligned with the ending he wanted for his life’s book. It was a decision rooted in values, not comfort.
Even as technology, artificial intelligence, and new digital tools reshape industries, Tom believes that culture and caring will always remain central. People stay, contribute, and work hard because of the leaders they work with and the values an organization stands for. Ethics, empathy, and sustainability matter just as much as performance.
Tom has a strong ability to identify people for the qualities he values most: selflessness, passion, energy, and enthusiasm. These traits have helped him build strong cultures in every organization he has touched. His leadership style focuses on trusting skilled partners, giving them freedom to excel, and providing support when needed. He often says that his role is to build the stage, find the best dancers, help them dance well, and stand at the edge to ensure they do not fall.
Since 2008, Tom has devoted all his time to non-profit work. He believes that while technology like AI will play a growing role in the world, true success will always depend on the quality, passion, and energy of people. Throughout his career, he has relied on collaboration, creativity, and networks built on trust. He hired people who were strong where he was not, which allowed him to focus on what he did best.
Tom sees every person connected to an organization as a stakeholder – employees, families, clients, partners, and suppliers. He encourages teams to understand the needs of all stakeholders and take responsibility for treating them with care and respect.
Financial success for Tom has always been a means to give back. He has never focused on building wealth for himself or passing it down to his children. Instead, he has committed his resources to supporting causes he believes in. He founded Business Volunteers Unlimited in 1992, which has become the largest organization of its kind in the United States, placing more than four hundred thousand volunteers and training thousands of non-profit board members.
Tom continues to stay deeply involved with the non-profit community, remaining energetic, strategic, and fully engaged. His guiding principles remain the same: learn from those who do it well, learn even more from those who do it poorly, hire exceptional people, and never forget that culture is stronger than strategy. His life reflects the belief that selflessness, caring for others, and strengthening communities are the true measures of a meaningful legacy.
Caring for people first is the strongest foundation any leader can build.