The Woodward Alumni Hall of Fame Association
Tamara Hall Geer Inducted 2013 - Class of 1983
Raised in a waterfront community with a small town feel, Tammy lived three houses from the cooling waters of the Maumee Bay. Swimming and surfboarding in the summer and ice skating in the winter, Tammy and her neighborhood friends were always close by home when the street lights came on. Kevin Krischak and his mother, Ann, and Evan Walborn were several of her life-long friends from Point Place. Tammy still shares important news with her extended family.
Point Place's neighborhood schools, Kleis Elementary and Point Place Junior High, provided Tammy with the essential background for a confident arrival at Woodward High School. Tammy credits Mr. Duvendack and Mr. Haga for providing the structure, discipline, and an environment "rich in possibilities" in which she flourished. As a student in Mr. Duvendack's class, Tammy was encouraged to volunteer and to become involved in the essence of high school. To that end Tammy worked in the Athletic Office, Student Council, Hockey Club, Basketball Pep-Band, Student Exchange, and perhaps the most important, playing saxophone in the Marching Band. It was from
Mr. & Mrs. Haga that Tammy learned that "it's not all about the difficult trick or music, it's about showmanship." "I understood and I always showed up excited to be out there. It was all about showmanship." Tammy's most treasured moment at Woodward occurred as Head Majorette during a night football game at Waite. In her own words: "It was the first time I twirled under the lights with a packed stadium. Sitting in the stands, my Mom watched as the Marching Band formed a Star around me, I performed "Endless Love" with no drops . . . . . With the half time show over, I hurried to the Sports Arena and the Toledo Goaldigger Hockey Game where I was named Miss Goaldigger at center ice."
After graduation Tammy became a member of the University of Toledo's Marching Band Flag Corp for a year before joining the UT's Dancing Rockettes. Tammy was later honored by her sorority, Kappa Delta, by becoming their Homecoming Queen nominee. Continuing her varied education, Tammy graduated from the University of Toledo with a Bachelor of Science degree, on the way to a Masters of Education degree in Career & Technical Education from Bowling Green State University. Tammy also holds a Third Class Steam/Engineer Stationary Engineer’s License and an Ohio Stationary Engineer's License.
Tammy's diverse career path took her from a wedding and event photographer, to a stint as a longshoreman for CSX Transportation, a period as a refinery apprentice, culminating with a position with British Petroleum as head of their Development and Training for United States Refining. Tammy's refinery experience coupled with her varied career path and capability enabled her to implement the Learning Management System and Virtual Training System software structures for BP.
Tammy's husband of 17 years, Brian Geer, works as a Civil Engineer with the Mannik & Smith Group here in Toledo. Brian is also an officer in the Naval Reserves. They have three daughters from college age to elementary: Lauren, Brianna, and Elizabeth.