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Biography
EDUCA TION:
Earlham College (B.A.) University of Paris (foreign study) University of Montana (LL.B.) Georgetown University (LL.M.) University of Michigan (Candidate S.J.D.)
FAMILY: Wife, Ruth, and two sons, Jamie and Kristofer LEGISLATOR:
Montana House of Representatives: 1971, 1973 & 1974 Sessions Montana Senate: 1974, 1977, 1979, 1981, 1983, 1985, 1991 & 1993 Sessions Committees: Labor (Chairman, 1993-94; Vice Chairman, 1991) Select Committee on Workers' Compensation (Chairman, 1993) Taxation (1975-1987, 1991-94)(Chairman, 1985) State Administration Committee (Chairman, 1977) Judiciary (1975-1987, 1991-94)(Chairman, 1975) Revenue Oversight (1977-1987, 1991-94)(Chairman 1981-83) Conference Committee, House Bill 667 - School Foundation Program (Chairman, 1993) Many others.
GOVERNOR’S APPOINTMENTS;
Chairman, Montana State Parks and Recreation Board, 2013-Present Member, Montana Coal Board, 2013-Present
RECENT ACTIVITIES: Lecturer, Bashkire State University Law School, Ufa, Russia (2011)
Extensive Travel in China, Argentina, Uruguay, Guatemala, Panama, Bolivia, Peru, Ecuador, Costa Rica, Austria, Germany, England, Norway, and Mexico.
PRACTICAL EXPERIENCE:
Raised on a farm 4-H baby beef projects during childhood Military Lawyer (Captain, Army JAGC) Extensive Appellate Court Martial work while in the Army Extensive Banking experience as former officer & director of 13 banks Occasional Lecturer at Rocky Mountain College & Eastern Montana College (now Montana State University-Billings) An Attorney practicing law in Billings, Montana since 1967 Began the law firm of Towe, Ball, Enright, Mackey & Sommerfeld in 1967 Chairman of the Board, First National Bank & Trust, Wibaux, Montana, 1987 to 1992
AUTHOR OF VARIOUS LEGAL PUBLICATIONS:
Personal Jurisdiction Over Nonresidents & Montana's New Rule 4B, Montana Law Review, 1962 Unavoidable Accident Instruction Held Reversible Error in Negligence Actions (chapter in a book edited by Melvin Belli, 1962)
Criminal Pre-Trial Procedure in France, Tulane Law Review, 1964 Fundamental Rights in the Soviet Union: A Comparative Approach, Pennsylvania Law Review, 1967)
Trust and Individual Rights: A Comparison of United States and French Pre-Trial Procedures (co-author), American Criminal Law Quarterly, 1974 Natural law and the Ninth Amendment, Pepperdine Law Review, 1975 A Growing Awareness of Privacy in America, Montana Law Review, 1976
ORGANIZA TIONS:
*Our Montana (formerly Montana State Parks Association), Founding Member & Board of Directors (1994 - present) Institute for Peace Studies (affiliated with Rocky Mtn. College), Board Member 1994-2013
Youth Dynamics, Board Member (1989 - 1996) Zoo Montana, Board of Directors (1983 - 2001) *Co-Chairman, Montanans for the Coal Trust Alternatives, Inc., Board of Directors (1978 to 1997) (Chairman, 1986) Democratic National Advisory Panel on Promoting Economic Growth and Opportunity, Member (1981-1984)
Youth Justice Council, Member (1981-83) Rimrock Guidance Foundation, Board Member (1975-80) Advisory Committee, Montana Crime Control Board, Member (1973-78) District Youth Guidance Home of Billings, Board Member (1971-77) Regional Community Services for the Developmentally Disabled, Board Member (1975-77) *Yellowstone County Bar Association, Member *Montana Bar Association, Member American Hereford Association, Member Billings Breakfast Optimists, Former Member *Billings Chamber of Commerce, Member Volunteers of America - Billings Chapter, Former Board Member Montana Consumer Affairs Council, Former Board Member Prairie Tower, Inc., Former Board Member Concern, Inc., Former Board Member *Billings Rotary Club, Member since 2000
*Denotes current membership POLITICAL BACKGROUND:
Democratic Nominee in 1976 for the Second Congressional District of Montana Coordinating Chairman, Montana Delegation, 1974, for the Democratic Mini-Convention in Kansas City Chairman, Montana Delegation, 1972 Democratic National Convention in Miami Montana Delegation, 1968 Democratic National Convention in Chicago Montana Delegation, 1984 Democratic National Convention in San Francisco (Alternate) State Democratic Executive Committee, 1969-71 Yellowstone County Democratic Executive Committee, 1969-73 Convener, Democratic Study Group (1983 - present) Precinct Committeeman, 1967 to present University of Montana Young Democrats, Treasurer (1961)
RECOGNIZED LEADER (listed in):
Marquis Who's Who in American Law Marquis Who's Who in the West, 18th Edition, 1982-83, and subsequent editions Marquis Who's Who in Executives & Professionals, 1997-98 Marquis Who=s Who in America Marquis Who=s Who in the World Who's Who in American Politics, 1974 ....
Who's Who Among Authors and Journalists Who's Who in Government, 1975-76 America's Registry of Outstanding Professionals, 2001-02 Edition Community Leaders and Noteworthy Americans, 7th Edition Personalities of the West and Midwest, 1971 Dictionary of International Biography, 1975 National Registry of Who's Who - Acceptance 3/28/00 - Life Member - #136222 National Registry of Who's Who in Executives and Professionals - 2000 National Directory of Who's Who, December 17, 1996 Nationwide Registers Who's Who in Executives & Business, 2001 Strathmore Who's Who, Honored Member, Millennium Edition, 2000-2001 Strathmore Who's Who, 2002 Edition Contemporary Notables International Who's Who of Public Service, 2000 International Directory of Distinguished Leadership, 1986 Two Thousand Notable Americans, 1986/1987; 3rd Ed. 1994 Biography of the Year 1986 Men of Achievement Personalities of America Personalities of the Americas International Who's Who of Contemporary Achievement International Who's Who - 1994 Cambridge Who's Who, Business & Professional Leaders International Who's Who Historical Society Appointment 2006-2007 Continental Whose Who 2006
AWARDS & HONORS:
-Named as one of 12 state officials (only 2 legislators) throughout the United States as "Stars of the States" in July, 1983 issue of Washington Monthly magazine. -Named as one of the 10 best state and local officials from throughout the United States by Mother Jones, February/March 1984 issue.
-Honored by the Montana Democratic Party at the Mansfield-Metcalf Dinner - March 7, 1987. -Listed as #26 by the "Missoulian" in 100 Montanans, Our pick of the most influential figures of the 20th Century, 2000.
OTHERS:
Frequent lecturer and speaker on Coal Taxes and Resource Tax Trust Funds; Appeared before a committee of the Pennsylvania Legislature (coal tax); Appeared before the North Dakota legislature (coal tax); Appeared before a committee of the Kentucky Legislature; Honorary Kentucky Colonel; Speaker at Governor's (Alaska) Conference on Resource Taxation; Former Tribal Counsel, Crow Tribe of Indians; and Chief Negotiator on coal lease with Arch Minerals; Expert witness in Crow Tribe v. Montana; Former Tribal Counsel, Northern Cheyenne Tribe of Indians; Former Counsel for United Mine Workers, Oil Atomic and Chemical Workers, and other Unions; Appointed as an election supervisor for Labors International Union of North America; Quoted in many newspapers and magazines throughout the United States, including the Smithsonian magazine and an editorial in the Wall Street Journal. Featured in the following magazines: Forbes magazine; BusinessWeek, and Christian Science Monitor.
Areas of Legal Interest and Experience:
Employment Law Taxation, including Tax Court Litigation Estate Planning and Trusts
Farm and Ranch Litigation Business Organizations Commercial Litigation Banking Law
Indian Law Complex Multistate Litigation Class Action Suits
Publication Date
Fall 2015
Recommended Citation
Towe, Tom and Barrett, Evan, "Biography of Tom Towe" (2015). Biographies and Photos of Series Participants. 15.
https://digitalcommons.mtech.edu/crucible_bios/15