Tom Newton, a long-time Computershare employee and resident of Northport, passed away June 25 after a lengthy battle with ALS.
Tom Newton, a long-time Computershare employee and resident of Northport, passed away June 25 after a lengthy battle with ALS. He was 48.
Newton, a product manager, financial analyst and surveillance specialist, held a number of management roles at companies including First Chicago Trust Company, where he founded the stock surveillance business, EquiServe and most recently, Computershare. Newton was highly regarded in his work and treated surveillance ‘as an art, not just a technical process.’
Long-time friend and colleague, John Bagdonas describes Newton as ‘a go-to guy. He was a can-do person and always positive. He was encouraging to everyone and always managed to get the most out of himself and those around him.’
Tom was full of energy and had a magnetic personality. He was serious gadget guy and always had the latest piece of technology, particularly in photography or music. ‘He was the first person I knew who was on the internet, back in the early 90s.’
Newton was the youngest of 7 children, which Bagdonas suggests was ‘part of what gave him his drive to be successful and to make his mark on the world. He was from a very entertaining and close family. Many years ago his father started a carnival business, which several of Tom’s brothers manage today. ‘This background gave Tom the ability to engage an audience - he often entertained us with his juggling skills in the office.’
Outside of the office, Newton was an avid sports fan. He owned and raced sports cars and was enthusiastic about tennis, biking, skiing and golf. He was also a keen outdoorsman and would often take the family on camping trips, usually in the Catskills region of New York.
‘He enjoyed golf a tremendous amount. I went on quite a number of outings and golf trips with him and he was always planning days out. We also attended a number of NIRI conferences and other work events together,’ Bagdonas recalls. In fact it was at a NIRI conference the Tom first met his future wife Karin.
In addition to his work at Computershare, Newton served on a range of non-profit boards and was active with organizations working to fund research and find a cure for ALS. One of his last public speaking appearances was at Northport High School where he addressed students about the illness.
He is survived by wife Karin, sisters Mary Ann and Carol and brothers John, Michael, James and Robert.
By Brendan Sheehan
