Farewell, Tom!

Today is a bittersweet day at WordStream – our much-loved director of marketing, Tom Demers, is leaving WordStream for another opportunity. We're very happy for Tom, who is buying a house with his beautiful wife and kids in Connecticut, but very sad for ourselves! Tom's shoes will be extremely hard to fill. He's been with WordStream since waaaaaay back – as way back, at least, as a startup can go. Back when WordStream was just a handful of people meeting with laptops in a Panera, Tom was there, laying out the early marketing strategy and creating most of the content that became our website. He's seen us through several office moves, site redesigns and product overhauls, dozens of hires, and roughly a thousand meetings, with a huge smile on his face the whole time.

Tom is an amazing marketer and a great friend, and we're really going to miss him around here. He taught me almost everything I know about marketing – and he's a self-taught marketer himself, not to mention a few years younger than me!

Until we can really toast him (and maybe roast him?) after work today, this virtual toast will have to do:

Tom will be greatly missed at WordStream. As one of the veterans he played a key role in my on-boarding, and taught me a great deal about marketing. We will be hard-pressed to find someone as dedicated as Tom—who else returns emails at 1:30am??—and as fun to work with. I wish him the very best in his new endeavor! – Cathleen

Tom, your search marketing insights have been such an asset to this blog, and to WordStream. I’ve learned so much from your wealth of knowledge, your leadership skills and most of all, your enthusiasm and passion for all things WordStream. You will be sorely missed. We’ll keep the fridge stocked with Diet Coke’s in case you change your mind! Best of luck! – Jax

I personally think of Tom not as a manager, but as a mentor, a mastermind, and a friend.  Perhaps most importantly is the positive environment he’s created, where his team feels free to share ideas and enjoys working collaboratively.  They say men can’t multi-task as well as women, but Tom’s out to defy science! We will greatly miss Tom’s hearty laugh, crazy hair and incredibly loud typing. – Susannah

Tom, you’re one of the most creative and hardest working marketers I’ve had the pleasure of working with, and you’re also a really good-natured, gregarious, fun guy to be around. So we’re going to miss you not only on a professional level, but on a personal level too.

Buuuut what we won’t miss is the incredible strain you put on the WordStream budget with the bottomless vats of Coke Zero you consume every day. Seriously, I’m pretty sure we’ll catapult into the black once we remove the Coke Zero consumption line item from the budget. Which means my WordStream shares will be waaaay more valuable. Sweet!

All kidding aside, you’ll be sorely missed, and I wish you nothing but the best in Connecticut and at your new gig with Aspen Square Management. Also, word on the street is they have some really fantastic Amherst Apartments for rent over there at Aspen. ;) – Ken

Tom, thank you for everything. We’ll sure miss you!! – Larry

Best of luck with everything Tom! Don't be a stranger! (I have it on good authority that you'll be back, with guest posts!)