Partner, Cunnington & Cunnington
Thomas W. Cunnington is a Partner with Cunnington and Cunnington, a consulting firm specializing in mid-size energy projects.
Formerly, Tom served as Chief Executive Officer of Ward Williston Oil Company, an independent oil production and service company, which he successfully took from a relatively small service company to a position of leadership in the North Dakota oil industry. He has vast experience in the oil industry, including experience setting up partnerships to drill wells in North Dakota, Michigan, Indiana and Illinois. As an entrepreneur, Tom has been involved in diversified investments in the oil exploration field, real estate and venture capital projects.
Previously, Tom was the founder and President of World Computer Corporation, a national firm. World Computer was the largest provider of “turnkey systems” for the credit union industry. He has since sold this company to a national conglomerate.
Tom serves on the board of various organizations. He is a trustee of Detroit Country Day School and Kirk in the Hills Church. He is a former chairman of National Multiple Sclerosis Society and a current board member. He is a board member of JAM International, a relief organization working in Africa. He is currently chairman of Faith Ventures, a foundation working to assist in feeding programs and establishing orphanages in Mozambique and Rwanda. In addition, Tom served President George Bush as a member of his Presidential Transition Team, and he has been active in several political PACs including GOPAC and the Republican Eagles.
Tom graduated from Northeastern University, Boston, Massachusetts with a BS degree in engineering, and he completed his MBA with a major in finance at Babson University, Wellesley, Massachusetts. He served in the United States Army as a Captain.
*All biographical information is only current up to the date of the award.
Philosophy of Life
To Northwood University Students,
I have been asked to write my philosophy of life and business in a letter to each of you. Although it is difficult to write a lifetime of the concepts and ideas I have lived by in a short yet meaningful letter to you whom I have not met personally, I will try my best.
As you are experiencing: life for all of us, in America has changed in the last few months. Today we are challenged by life style changes that have effected each and every American and many people around the world. This Covin-19 pamdemic and the controls we are experiencing from our government in the light of protecting us has changed our lives in the last few month. First I want each of you to remember, we are Americans, we live in the land of the free, always remember this and live up to the words in our constitution and declaration of independence. Your freedom and mine was bought with a price and I know I am grateful and try my best to live up to this.
When thoughtfully preparing to write you this letter, I was thinking, back about my life. In many ways I was a lot like you. I had a burning desire to be successful and I had lucky breaks along the way. Although I always respected who God was I did not have a personal relationship with Him until I was in middle age. I believe He was watching out for me all along the way. So here are a few “nuggets” I have lived by:
Never let a challenge beat you… work hard and never never give up.
“I wish for you the success you deserve, no more and no less” these were the words at my Babson University graduation ceremony. Old Mr. Babson gave the speech and I never forgot this.
Who is in charge of my life… I have decided that I want God to be in charge I have learned one thing for certain, when you live for Jesus you find purpose in life that goes well beyond the ordinary.
I believe that education is the key to freedom.
I believe that character and integrity are the cornerstone of our life on earth.
If you have a soul and if you have feelings you have to help other human beings when ever you can. It is up to each one of us as individual human being to seize the day and do what good we can in the world.
Work as hard as you possibly can to be successful. My motto has been do well that you can do good later.
The above are a few of my ideas on living a life that is meaningful. I hope this is helpful as you face many challenges of the day.
Sincerely,
Thomas W. Cunnington
