A life long Phoenix resident Thom Meaker graduated from Phoenix Christian High School in 1963 and attended California Polytechnic University at San Luis Obispo receiving his BS in Engineering in 1968. Thom and his father Al Meaker ran Meaker The Printer, a commercial printing company until 2001. Through several mergers and acquisitions he is now with Capitol Litho in Phoenix.
While in college he joined the United States Marine Corps Platoon Leaders Class and after graduation went to The Basic School at Quantico, Virginia. Upon completion of his officers training, he served as a platoon leader and then company commander of Mike Company, 3rd Battalion, 4th Marines, 3rd Marine Division from November 1968 until January 1970. The company conducted operations in Viet Nam assigned to Northern I Corps. While with Mike Company he received the Bronze Star with combat V and the Purple Heart.
Thom has been involved in Veterans affairs, serving 2 terms as Chairman of the Phoenix Veterans Day Parade Committee, serving as a charter member of the Veterans Medical Leadership Council, as a member of the Marine Corps Scholarship Foundation and as a board member of Honoring Arizona’s Veterans, a group founded to raise funds to support the Carl T. Hayden Arizona Veteran’s Day Parade. Thom lives in Laveen, Arizona with his wife Lorrie, two horses, 3 dogs, 6 chickens and their cat, Dame Edna.