Tom Hall is a retired mechanical engineer from Eaton Aerospace Controls and Systems Division where he worked on defense contracts in Sarasota, Florida. Prior to that, he was a tool and die maker. He holds seven U.S. patents and four European patents in Arc Fault Circuit Protection for aircraft. He is married with two children and four grandchildren.
He was first introduced to Habitat for Humanity at his church in Sarasota, Florida when Millard Fuller attended his Sunday school class. Tom was inspired to change his life. Instead of moving pieces of paper on his desk from one pile to another, he wanted to make a difference. He said, “Working 40 hours a week, you don’t really make a difference. You are doing a job. I look at a soldier, a policeman or a fireman. They make a difference. I made money for the corporation. Now, I can say that I made a difference.”
Tom started with NW Metro Atlanta Habitat for Humanity in 2005 on the Metro Builders house in Hillcrest Phase 1. Since then he has worked on numerous builds and has served as House Leader on 10 houses and Crew Leader over 300 days. He was instrumental in the development of the construction manual we use to build our homes. For his many and varied services to our affiliate, he received the Joe and Connie Laviska Catspaw Award in 2008, the Roy Brumley Golden Hammer Award in 2009 and the Bob Webber Award in 2011. He explained his dedication, “I look forward to getting up in the morning and going to Habitat. It is a great group of people who are dedicated and give 110 percent. We are meticulous. If we don’t like the look of something, we change it because we care.”
When asked what he would like to tell Cobb County about Habitat, he said, “Habitat is not a giveaway program.” In fact, homeowners contribute 100 hours of labor to their own house as well as 100 hours of labor to another house. They receive an interest-free mortgage, which they are expected to pay just like any other homeowner.