In Memory of Thomas J. Stewart

Me holding the ribbon at the grand opening of SGA's new corporate office, CEO Tom Stewart giving his speech, with Mayor Phil Gordon, and the Stewart family.
(Photo from SGAgroup.com)

There are few people that you will meet in your life that will inspire you do become something greater, and change your life. Rarely do these people know that they have had that sort of impact.

In August of 2007, I began an internship at Services Group of America in the Communications and Design department. I did not know very much about the company at the time. In previous jobs I had, if there was a mistake or something that happened that my co-workers did not like, they always blamed 'corporate.' It became apart of my own thinking to do the same.

On the second day of my internship, there was something that happened that the rest of the team did not like, so (thinking I would be funny) said, "Ohh it's probably corporate's fault." Both Brad and Taylor (my bosses) looked at me. "You do realize, that we're corporate, right?" said Brad. "Actually, we're like the corporate of the corporate." said Taylor. What I thought was a simple graphic design internship, turned out to be a job that changed who I am today.

Tom Stewart was CEO and founder of the company I interned for. The amount of intimidation that I felt the day I found out I was interning at a corporate office, was nothing compared to the first time I met Tom.

I was handing a project to his Executive Assistant (although, she is so much more. She could probably run China if she was called to do so), when Tom walked up & smiled. He looked at me and said, "Why hello. Do you work for me?" I replied yes and he shook my hand and asked what my name was. Never in a million years did I think a CEO of a multi-billion dollar company would ever want to know their intern's name, much less remember it.

At the opening gala for the company's new building, I held the red ribbon which was to be cut by his youngest daughter, Sydney, as I listened to Tom give his speech (He never wanted to be called Mr. Stewart, one of the things I admired most about him). There is something special about being proud of the company that you work for. I remember feeling so proud to be apart of that day, and every day during my year-long internship at SGA.


Tom, his wife Madena, and daughter Sydney, died in a helicopter accident in Cave Creek, AZ on February 15. This tragic accident has impacted many lives, and leaves me saddened and dismayed. However, when it comes to my former co-workers, perseverence in the midst of tragedy remains. My former boss Taylor, says it best:

"Today is not the time to ask why, but a time to forge forward towards the next unexpected thing in life. For surely some days will be blessed, some days will be tragic, but some days will silently drift into obscurity, and it is those days I think that are the saddest." -Taylor, A.

Tom taught me many things, though our interactions were few. Because even if you walked into the company's doors for five minutes, you would learn something from him without even meeting him. He ran a company that had pride in their mission, with good people at the helm. "Corporate" no longer seems so cold to me, because at SGA, the "suits" are incredible, hard working, humorous, intelligent people who make it fun to go to work, and are incredible at what they do.

To read more about Tom, his achievements, and his business, visit http://www.sgagroup.com/tjs.htm