Draft:Tom Laporte

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Tom Laporte
Born1953
DiedMarch 3, 2017
Chicago, Illinois, USA
CitizenshipUSA
Known forRadio, Public Servant, Burning Man Project


Tom LaPorte (Born 1953 - Died March 3, 2017)[1] was a notable figure in Chicago, recognized for his roles as a radio host, assistant water commissioner, and a key member of the Burning Man festival's media team. His work in media, civic engagement, and community arts showcased his commitment to community connections, local talent promotion, and creativity encouragement.

Early Life[edit]

Born in Boston, Massachusetts in 1953, LaPorte moved to Illinois in 1960.[2]

Education[edit]

LaPorte attended Glenbard West High School, graduating in 1971. During high school, he interviewed American activist Abbie Hoffman for a school radio program and contributed to "The Glen Bard" newspaper. Glenbard West High School considers him a notable alumnus.[3] He earned an Associate of Arts in Speech Communication and Rhetoric from College of DuPage in 1976 and a Bachelor of Science in Speech Communications and Radio-TV from Southern Illinois University, Carbondale in 1979.[2]

Media Career[edit]

LaPorte made significant contributions to CBS Radio all-news WBBM AM 780, all-news WMAQ, and WIND AM 560 as a webmaster, editor, managing editor, producer, and news editor.[4] At WMAQ, he produced a series for Black History Month in 1989.[5]

Burning Man Project[edit]

As "Lost Tom," LaPorte was a founding member of the Burning Man Chicago Steering Committee, leading art projects that fostered creativity and collaboration.[6] Tom was actively involved with Burners Without Borders and BMIR. Tom's voice continues heard in public service announcements at Burning Man every year.[7]

Public Service Career[edit]

LaPorte served as an assistant water commissioner for Chicago, contributing to civic and environmental initiatives.[8] He was involved in the Chicago Airport System Music Program, bringing local music to O'Hare International Airport.[9][10]

Personal Life[edit]

LaPorte and Jim Belushi were friends and roommates, with documented interactions including LaPorte bailing Belushi out of jail.[11][6][12]

Awards[edit]

LaPorte was a six-time recipient of the Peter Lisagor Award[4] and was recognized in the Chicago Sun Times I-Street 100 most influential persons in December 2000 for launching WBBM's "Tech Desk".[13]

References[edit]

  1. ^ "Thomas LaPorte Obituary - 2017". Legacy.com. Retrieved 2024-03-05.
  2. ^ a b "LaPorte, Tom". Klein Artist Works. Retrieved 2024-03-07.
  3. ^ "An Interview About the Trial with Abbie Hoffman (November 1969)". famous-trials.com. Retrieved 2024-03-07.
  4. ^ a b "Robservations: It's 50 years and farewell for ABC 7's Frank Mathie | Robert Feder". robertfeder.dailyherald.com. Retrieved 2024-03-07.
  5. ^ Tribune, Chicago (1989-01-27). "COTTON CLUB SHOW MISSES THE REAL ONE". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved 2024-03-07.
  6. ^ a b "We've Lost Tom". Burning Man Journal. 2017-03-15. Retrieved 2024-03-07.
  7. ^ "We've Lost Tom". Retrieved 2024-03-05.
  8. ^ "Tom LaPorte Archives — Chicago Clout". Retrieved 2024-03-05.
  9. ^ "Remembering Tom LaPorte and the Chicago Airport Music Program". Retrieved 2024-03-05.
  10. ^ "Memories of Tom LaPorte". 6 December 2017. Retrieved 2024-03-05.
  11. ^ [1]Chicago Radio Guide May 1985
  12. ^ "Bad Santa". Chicago Sun Times. 2012-12-18. Retrieved 2024-03-07 – via PressReader.
  13. ^ Yumpu.com. "I-Street's list of 100 most influential people Publication ... - Big Frontier". yumpu.com. Retrieved 2024-03-07.
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