Tom Ingrassia is a motivational speaker, life coach and Motown historian. In 2001, Tom left a successful 25-year career in higher education administration to pursue his lifelong dream—reinventing himself as a celebrity and entertainment manager.
Today, Tom manages an eclectic roster of nearly 20 artists, ranging from concert pianists Klaus A. Becker and Alexander Wasserman; New Age pianist, composer and concert organist Scott Lamlein; concert organists Luca Pollastri, Tobias Horn and Edward Broms; jazz artists Clyde Wheatley and the Hot Cat Jazz Band; classical guitarist Charles Mokotoff; and cabaret act Good4Tune. Previously, he worked with legendary 1960s Girl Group members Mary Wilson (The Supremes), Arlene Smith (The Chantels), Barbara Alston (The Crystals), and June Montiero (The Toys).
Tom is an accomplished music journalist with more than 25 published articles, ranging from Billboard and Goldmine, to Record Auction Monthly, Soul Survivor and San Francisco Hot Ticket. Tom collaborated with Barbara Ann Alston on her autobiography, There’s No Other (2007) and Carl Gardener’s (of The Coasters) autobiography, Yakety Yak, I Fought Back (2007). He also worked with Mary Wilson on a coffee table book about her life with The Supremes. In addition, Tom served as Creative Director of Supreme Legacy®, the merchandising division of Mary Wilson Enterprises, from 2001 to 2004.
Tom has shared his expertise as a consultant to a number of entertainment and media outlets, including the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum, Vocal Group Hall of Fame and Museum, WCVB-TV (Boston), WBZ-TV (Boston), WHDH-TV (Boston) and WXYZ-TV (Detroit). He has been interviewed on numerous radio and television programs, including the Comcast Cable Network’s news magazine, “New England Newsmakers;” “The Success Journey” on WCCA-TV 13 (Worcester); “Wake Up Worcester” on Charter TV 3 (Worcester); and NPR-affiliate WFUV-FM (New York City).
He collaborated with the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum to coordinate the unveiling ceremony for the Legendary Girl Groups Commemorative Stamps (2002), and “Reflections: The Mary Wilson Supreme Legacy® Gown Collection” (2004), which is currently on tour in Europe.
In 1993, Tom was a judge for the Miss Massachusetts Pageant, helping to select Massachusetts’ representative to the Miss America Pageant. He served as the Managing Director of the Music Alive! Concert Series at Wesley United Methodist Church, Worcester, for three years. He is a member of the Boards of Directors of the Pakachoag Music School of Greater Worcester and the Worcester Chapter of the American Guild of Organists, and served as a marketing consultant for the Worcester Cultural Coalition. He is a member of Business Network International (BNI).
Prior to entering the entertainment industry in 2001, Tom spent 25 years in higher education administration and private industry. His affiliations include Clark University, Regis College, The State Mutual Companies, Assumption College, Urbana University, and West Virginia Northern Community College. During his tenure in academia, Tom honed his skills in event planning and coordination, project management, recruitment, marketing, fund raising, staff supervision, and time management. Tom’s career in academia culminated in the position of Academic Dean at the Graduate School of Management at Clark University. Tom earned a bachelor’s degree in history from SUNY Geneseo, and holds a master’s degree in history from the University of Connecticut.
Building on his dramatic career change from academic dean to entertainment entrepreneur, Tom is writing a book about managing career change and following one’s dreams to achieve goals, and offers motivational seminars and workshops based upon his experiences–”Visioning Your Future and Living Into Your Dreams!” He also offers the multimedia lecture programs “Motown and the Civil Rights Movement” “Girl Power: The Supremes as Cultural Icons.”
Motown memorabilia from the Thomas Ingrassia Collection has been exhibited at the Whitney Gallery (Los Angeles, 1987), the Barbican Centre (London, 2000), Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum (Cleveland, 2004), Vocal Group Hall of Fame (part of the permanent collection), The LBJ Presidential Library (Austin, 2004-05), and the Albany (NY) Institute of History and Art (2005). In 2007, the Lockhart Gallery at the State University of New York at Geneseo presented Tom’s exhibition, “Girl Power: The Supremes as Cultural Icons.” Tom’s collection is available for exhibition at museums, galleries and libraries. An in-demand speaker, Tom’s recent lecture performances include the Long Island Museum, Worcester State College, Assumption College, Becker College, Worcester Public Library, Acton (MA) Professional Networkers, and the 69th Annual Meeting of the Association for Continuing Higher Education.
Tom lives by his motto: “Have the courage to follow your heart, because your heart will never steer you in the wrong direction. It is through your heart that the Universe speaks to you. You will find your dream in that place where your heart meets your mind and your soul.”
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