Tommy Baker was born in Mt. Pleasant, South Carolina, close to the banks of the Wando and Cooper Rivers and the historic city of Charleston.  He attended Moultrie High School, and after distinguishing himself on the baseball fields and the dance floors of the Lowcountry, graduated in 1964.  Motivated by a desire to serve his country and the patriotism of many past generations of Charlestonians, Tommy enlisted in the Marine Corps shortly after graduation.  His service took him far from Charleston, to Okinawa and Fatima, and finally back home in 1968 where he enrolled at The Citadel, South Carolina's preeminent Military College.  The strict discipline of The Marine Corps was here combined with a first rate education and a personal philosophy that can be summed up in the Citadel Code:
  "To revere God, love my country, and be loyal to The Citadel.  To be faithful, honest, and sincere in every act and purpose and to know the honorable failure is better than success by unfairness or cheating."

Tommy's pursuit of education did not simply stop after leaving the Citadel in 1972.  In 1988, he was accepted into Harvard Business School's exclusive Owner/President Management Program, an intensive three~year study of business models and executive education.  As stated in Harvard's own description, "The concept of the program is simple and the impact far~reaching: Gather a group of dynamic business leaders...create an environment that generates ideas and fuels their passions...and something powerful happens."

After spending 25 years as an automobile dealer across the South, Tommy felt it was time to return to his first love, Charleston.  Combining his extensive experience with acute business savvy and his one~of~a~kind amicable personality, Tommy founded Baker Motor Company in 1988.  After starting out on Morrison Drive in Downtown Charleston with a single dealership, Tommy has since expanded Baker Motor Company to now include Mercedes-Benz, Maybach, Maserati, Porsche, Land Rover, Infiniti, Smart, Jaguar, Sprinter and a luxury Pre-Owned Center in a state of the art facility on Savannah Highway.

Tommy feels that the success he was achieved could not be possible without the support of his community.  Mindful of this, he has always attempted to do his part and in the process has become a civic leader.  He is formerly and Executive Board Member and Organizer of the Duke Children's Classic, a fundraiser for the Duke University Children's Hospital - a board he has served on consecutively for the last 5 years.  Additionally, Tommy serves on the Board of Directors of Southcoast Bank and The Board of Governors of the College of Charleston School of Business.  At the College of Charleston, he is also Entrepreneur in residence and has taught a senior level seminar for 17 years.

Tommy currently resides in historic downtown Charleston with his wife of 27 years, Vickie, and their three children, Cassie, Katie, and Harrison.  He is an avid runner and enjoys playing golf.