Thomas is the CEO and Founder of USP, he has dedicated his life to helping others secure their college future.
This is the first of a series of interviews we have made to all our staff members, we want you to really get to know us, understand who we are, where we come from and why are we so passionate about college athletics and helping young students and athletes secure their future.
USP: Tell us about your background. Where are you from? Where did you grow up?
Thomas: I come from a European descent (Germany / UK) but I was born and raised in Caracas, Venezuela.
USP: Where did you go to college?
Thomas: I was first recruited to play college tennis at New Mexico Military Institute and later transferred to New Mexico State University from where I received my undergraduate degree in Business Administration - Marketing.
USP: Who have been your strongest influences in life?
Thomas: My mother was definitely my role model as she was able to raise a family, help my father in his work, and also become one of the best tennis players in Venezuela. She was a very balanced and smart person who was always happy and positive. She supported me in all my decisions.
USP: What led you to this career? How did you end up at USP?
Thomas: Many people did not know about the opportunities that college sports offers. I saw plenty of athletes waste their talent. I had the experience and connections, so I decided to create USP. It became my dream job as I could combine my love for sports and helping others.
USP: When people ask you "what do you do for a living?" How do you respond?
Thomas: I help young people and their families succeed in life
USP: What is your proudest experience since working with USP?
Thomas: Anytime I see one of our clients graduate from college and knowing that they have a promising future ahead.
USP: What is the main mistake you see in the recruiting process?
Thomas: Lack of planning and just going after a big name college rather than thinking about what is best for you.
USP: Can you tell us about one (or two) Client story you will never forget.
Thomas: A baseball player whose mom drove a taxi, no father. We got him a scholarship and today he is an Engineer working in the USA.
A soccer player who wanted to play professionally and we convinced him to first go to college. We got him into a D1 team, he got his degree and later went on to play in the World Cup.
A brother and sister tennis players who wanted to play professionally. We got them into D1 teams. The brother is today one of the top professional ATP coaches and the sister went on the become the coach at the University of Miami.
And all those athletes who had to very work very hard to earn their spots into college sports and have become the leaders on their teams.
USP: What is your most important advice for a student and for the parent?
Thomas: Plan your college future, but do not see too far ahead and enjoy the process.
When asked for a short bio for the USP website, this is how Thomas described himself:
If not paddleboarding or exercising, I'm working with my awesome team in getting our kids to the best possible colleges and continue to make a difference in people's lives
Since I was very young, I discovered that my passion was everything and anything that had to do with sports. After my experience as a college student-athlete and seeing how it impacted my life, I then realized that my mission in this world is to help young people succeed in life. So, USP is a dream come true: I work in sports while helping others.
Thank you, Thomas!