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Tom TweiteCandidate for Olmsted County |
My name is Tom Tweite and I am announcing my candidacy for Olmsted County Board of Commissioners, District 5.
I believe that Olmsted County should continue to grow in a thoughtful, fair and organized manner. I support steady job development and business growth, while improving environmental conditions. We must continue protecting and improving the health, safety and general well being of our residents. To achieve these goals, I have always tried to apply my family values, business experience and corporate lessons to the commitment of fiscal responsibilities.
Learn more about Tom Tweite
Tom’s Great Great Grandfather settled on a farm in 1854, in what is now called Salem Township. The Tweite family has maintained residence in Salem & Kalmar Township ever since. The farm in Kalmar Township that Tom currently lives on and operates has been in the family for 5 generations.
Tom was born February 9, 1956 to Robert & Jeanette Tweite at Olmsted Medical in Rochester, MN. Raised on a dairy farm Tom learned a good work ethic and the common sense of living within one’s means. Tom graduated from Byron High School in 1974. He was very active in high school activities that included sports, band, choir, FFA, student council and National Honor Society. FFA was where Tom obtained his first taste of structured committees and parliamentary procedures. He held most offices in FFA through out high school and represented Byron on numerous occasions by competing in state FFA competitions. In 1973 Byron American Legion selected Tom as a representative to attend Boys State; this program was designed to acquaint young people with local and state government functions and to stimulate their interest in civic behavior. Tom is a charter member of Christ Lutheran Church in Byron. He joined the church in 1963 when Christ Lutheran was still a mission church.
Please click here for committees and service opportunities that Tom has enjoyed.
Tom was employed by IBM in 1978. Throughout IBM’s layoffs, downsizing and restructuring, Tom and approximately 700 other IBM employees of Raw Card Manufacturing were purchased by Celestica. In 2003, Celestica closed down the Rochester plant. After the Celestica plant closing, Tom committed himself fulltime to farming and agritourism, establishing Tweite's Pumpkin Patch. Tom and Colleen operate the business together, and 2008 will mark the 20th year of operation. It has always been Tweite’s hope to provide wholesome family fun, in a non-threatening environment, for the young and young at heart (www.tweite.com).
Tom married his wife Colleen in May of 1977, and they have four daughters:
Nichole and her husband Tim are both teachers, they have a son named Sawyer and a daughter named Matisse.
Danielle works as an HR Generalist. She is married to Scott, who the Tweite’s are happy to welcome to their staff at Tweite's Pumpkin Patch as the "Director of Fun". Danielle and Scott have a son named Conner.
Molly is also a teacher, and she is married to a civil engineer, Adam.
Maggie, the youngest, is in college majoring in studio art.