Tom Hayes

Originally from Lima, Ohio, Tom Hayes attended The Ohio State University and began his career in advertising in 1980. He spent 10 years in cable television working in Lima, Akron, and Columbus Ohio; Dallas, Texas and Springfield, Illinois. Tom is a multiple winner of the Warner Cable Outstanding Production Award and the 1989 Warner Cable Advertising Sales Manager of the Year Award.

Tom moved to broadcast television in 1990. Over his fifteen years with CBS affiliate WPEC News 12 in West Palm Beach, he has twice been honored with the AWRT Account Executive of the Year Award; numerous WPEC Sales Awards, as well as the WPEC Account Executive of the Year. In 1993, Tom collaborated with news anchor, Wendy Rutledge to develop a series of twelve, ½ hour medical specials for Palm Beach Regional Hospital, which won a Florida Emmy.

A 20 + year member of the AAF, Tom has played a central role in the Palm Beach Ad Fed. From serving on the Board of Directors as Program Chair, ADDY Chair three times, Legislative Chair, President from 1997-98 and Interim President in 2003, he has been a tireless worker for the advertising industry and the members of the Ad Fed. He introduced the initiative to create an Ad Fed Scholarship Fund that would be administered by the club for local students with a desire to pursue a career in advertising.   In addition to all the other projects, Tom revived the Northwood University College Chapter program in 2000, giving the club a viable student chapter for the first time in over 5 years. That chapter has now competed in four NSAC district competitions.
Tom participated heavily in the 4th District’s effort to re-write legislation regarding the Florida Ad Tax, and prohibit the Department of Revenue from conducting illegal audits of Florida Advertising agencies. Tom worked as an integral part of the state delegation to lobby legislators in favor of a new regulation eliminating the tax on advertising services which the legislature passed, and Governor Bush signed into law in 1999. Because of those, efforts advertising agencies all over the state have been safe from audit by the Department of Revenue, and have kept millions of dollars that have previously been sent to Tallahassee. Tom has held several key positions in the 4th District including Membership Chairman, District ADDY Chair and President’s Council Chair, and 4th District’s representative to the National ADDY Committee for two terms. Tom has also judged local ADDY competitions at several 4th district clubs. He has served as Secretary, Treasurer and Governor-Elect. He is now serving his term as Governor for the 4th District AAF.

Tom has been heavily involved in charities, particularly children’s charities, for a number of years including organizations like the Connor Moran Children’s Cancer Foundation. Tom was president of the local chapter of St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital for 3 years, then two years on the board of directors for the Roy Clark Celebrity Gala raising money for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. Tom was the chairman and point person for the WPEC Project Thanksgiving Golf Tournament. He was a founding member and board member of Athletes Against Cancer. He has worked with many local charitable organizations including: Our Community/Our Children, Foster Parents Association, Martin County YMCA, and Hibiscus Children’s Center. Through these organizations, Tom has helped to raise millions of dollars to help those who are less fortunate.

He is the recipient of four local Gold ADDYs and the 2003 Advertising Federation of the Greater Palm Beaches Silver Medal.