Thomas M. Wells
Founder & Chairman of the Wells Mountain Initiative. Lawyer, entrepreneur, mentor, and lifelong believer that a small group of committed individuals can change the world.
In His Own Words
Thomas M. Wells is the oldest of six children and grew up in Paramus, New Jersey. After a period practicing law in Ohio, Tom founded the Wells, Jaworski & Liebman northern New Jersey law firm and practiced law for more than forty years before retiring and becoming “of counsel.”
He continues to run a real estate holding and management company together with his wife Carol, to manage Wells Mountain Investments and a substantial number of trusts, and to serve on several public and charitable boards.
In 2005, Tom founded Wells Mountain Initiative (WMI), a 501(c)(3) charity working to build a network of global grassroots leaders to foster social change — funding undergraduate studies of over 1,000 scholars from fifty-five high-need countries. For his work with WMI, Tom received a Distinguished Citizen Award from Bucknell University in 2015 and an Honorary Doctorate in Humane Letters from Middlebury College in 2023.
An alumnus of Case Western Reserve University Law School and Bucknell University, Tom has held forty jobs beginning with a paper route at eleven years old and created and owned ten — mostly very successful — businesses. As a mentor, Tom loves to preach the importance of “giving back” and the WMI call to action: Dream, Plan, Do!
Tom and Carol are the parents of three daughters and five grandchildren. They make their home along Lake Champlain in Shoreham, Vermont and in St. Thomas, US Virgin Islands.
The Story Behind WMI
Thomas M. Wells conceived of the Wells Mountain Initiative twenty-one years ago while actively working on projects in Africa and Haiti. This work brought him into contact with incredibly hard-working and motivated young people who needed a helping hand — mostly so they could gain the education required to become the change-makers they wanted to be.
One of those young people was Victoria Galley, a host sister to Tom's daughter Jordyn Wells when she visited Ghana in high school. Victoria became the very first WMI Scholar. Tom founded WMI first alone, but shortly with the financial support of friends and clients — and soon with help from his wife Carol and daughter Jordyn, both of whom would become co-founders.
WMI started with mostly university-level scholarships and became much more — ultimately a form of full partnership with its Scholars. What began as one man's conviction has grown into a continent-spanning movement, guided by the motto Tom passes on to every Scholar: Dream, Plan, Do!
Dream Big Conference
“I am profoundly proud of WMI and all that we have accomplished. The WMI Scholars make me giddy with pride. Except for my own kids and grandkids there is nothing in my life that makes me more proud than WMI and the unbelievable world-changing young people we have been able to help. I love it when they call me ‘Papa Tom.’”
A Life in Milestones
Marriage
Married Carol.
Graduation
Carol and Tom graduated from Bucknell University.
Public Service
First elected office.
Law School
Graduated from Case Western Reserve Law school.
Law Firm Founded
Founded Wells, Jaworski & Liebman law firm in Paramus, NJ which firm still bears his name.
WMI Founded
Founded Wells Mountain Initiative after working on projects in Africa and Haiti.
First WMI Scholar
First WMI Scholar, Victoria Galley of Ghana chosen.
Honorary Doctorate
Awarded Honorary Doctorate in Humane Letters from Middlebury College.
Memoir Published
Wrote Naked on the Highway: A Memoir.
1000 Scholars & New Book
Wells Mountain Initiative surpasses 1000 Scholars and hosts fourth Dream Big Conference in Nairobi Kenya and Tom publishes Dream, Plan, Do! The history of WMI.
Many Hats, One Mission
Lawyer
Business & real estate law for over four decades.
Entrepreneur
Founded and operated more than 10 business entities.
Philanthropist
Founder & Chairman of the Wells Mountain Initiative.
Rotarian
Long-time member of Rotary International.
YMCA Leader
Lifelong member; held many leadership positions.
Author
Storyteller, mentor, and voice for the next generation.
Beyond the Work
Tom and wife Carol live in Shoreham, Vermont and in the winter months in Saint Thomas in the US Virgin Islands. Tom continues to have his office in Bristol, Vermont, where he manages real estate and until recently, operated an Inn and retailstore. Tom and Carol have three daughters, two sons-in-law, and five wonderful grandchildren.
He has been a long-time member of Rotary International and a lifelong member of the YMCA, where he has held many positions. He received his undergraduate degree from Bucknell University and his Juris Doctorate from Case Western Reserve University.
Tom says that one of his greatest life pleasures is the legacy created by WMI Scholars.