Education:

Attended Gastonia public schools and Asheville School, Asheville, NC. Tom completed his undergraduate work and earned his Bachelor of Science in Business Administration in 1963. In 1965, Tom graduated with a Masters of Business Administration majoring in insurance from the Wharton School of Finance and Commerce at the University of Pennsylvania.

Insurance Associations/Organization Affiliations:

1980 – 1981 – Carolinas Association of Professional Insurance Agents – President
1965 – Present – Watson Insurance Agency, Inc. and Watson Investment of Gastonia, Inc. – President and Treasurer

Awards/Accreditations:

1994 – “Paul Harris Fellowship” Gastonia East Rotary Club
1992 – “Boss of the Year” Gaston-Cleveland Assoc. of Insurance Women
1979 – “The Professional Agent of the Year” by Professional Insurance Agents of America
1979 – “Carolinas Agent of the Year” by CPIA
1978 – Became Life Member – Insurance Firemark Society of the PIA
1976 – 1977 – “Boss of the Year” – Gastonia Assoc. of Insurance Women
1974 – Diploma in Risk Management
1968 – Received CPCU Designation (Chartered Property Casualty Underwriter)

Community Involvement:

1993 – Gaston Co. Chamber of Commerce – Chairman Southern Specialty Printing, Inc. – Gastonia, NC
1990 – 1991 – Schiele Museum of Natural History & Planetarium Inc. – President
1993 – 1994 – United Way of Gaston County – Chairman Executive Search Committee
1987 – 2001 – Asheville School Alumni Council (President 1997 – 2001)
1997 – Present – Asheville School Board of Trustees – Ex-officio First Bank of Gaston, Gastonia, NC – Director
1997 – 1999 – First Gaston Bank, Gastonia, NC – Chairman of the Board
Former Board Member: Gaston Country Club
Gaston County Merchants Assoc. (Past President)
Gastonia East Rotary Club – Charter Member and Past President
First Union National Bank of NC, Gastonia, NC City Board
Salvation Army Boys Club
Gaston Day School, Trustee
Gaston Skills, Inc. (Past President)
Wachovia Bank & Trust Co., Gastonia, NC – City Board

Hobbies:

Water and Snow Skiing, Boating, and Gardening

Tom is the second generation of Watsons to work in the family agency. Having started his career with the agency in 1965, Tom took over from his father, Thomas Craig Watson, Sr. Tom has been at the helm of the agency ever since and his strong commitment to his community and dedication to his clients is evident in every part of Watson Insurance.