Award winning sommelier and wine buyer Tom Thompson has literally grown up within the Tulalip Resort Casino organization. Honored with the Washington Wine Commission Award of Distinction in 2008, Thompson has developed an extensive program of Northwest wines balanced with new and old world selections for the Resort. Under his direction, it has garnered several accolades including the Wine Spectator Award of Excellence, the Washington Wine Commission Grand Award, and Seattle Magazine's 2011 Best Washington Focused Wine List for the fine dining Tulalip Bay restaurant.

In 1993, Tom was hired as a restaurant server at the Tulalip Casino and worked his way up to restaurant/bar manager. As he grew with the company, so did his responsibilities. He created and implemented training and service standards for Tulalip Bay and was part of the team that developed the food and beverage program for the 2008 hotel addition, which was awarded a AAA 4-Diamond rating and has made the 2011 Conde Nast Traveler Gold List.

A member of the International Sommeliers Guild, Thompson is preparing for his Certified Wine Educator (CWE) exam. He oversees the wine programs for the Resort's four restaurants (each with their own wine list), their in-house catering and room service programs, mPulse Lounge and Canoes Cabaret. With a love of introducing guests to boutique wineries that produce exceptional small lot vintages, his "Taste with Tommy" winemaker dinners and tasting events, which are held in different locations throughout the resort, are consistent crowd pleasers. Tom is also highly involved in the planning and execution of the annual "Taste of Tulalip" wine and culinary weekend, which draws almost 2,000 attendees from all over the United States who come to experience over 100 wines paired with exceptional food.

A native of Washington State and a Tulalip resident, Thompson is very much a family man. He is very involved in his two daughter's activities such as soccer, swimming and karate. Tom is also an avid golfer and sports fan. Vacations are often planned around travel to new wine regions as Tom enjoys experiencing the riches they have to offer and cultivating new friendships. A participant in community fundraisers such as the Auction of Washington Wines benefitting Children's Hospital, he also volunteers for the American Cancer Society "Road to Recovery" program.