governor Tom Wolf

Tom Wolf: A Life of Public Service and Leadership

Early Life and Education
Tom Wolf was born on November 17, 1948, in Mount Wolf, Pennsylvania, a town named after his ancestor who once served as its postmaster. Raised in a middle-class family, he grew up watching his parents, Cornelia and William Wolf, run a business, instilling in him a deep appreciation for hard work and community service.

Wolf attended The Hill School in Pottstown before earning a B.A. in government, magna cum laude, from Dartmouth College in 1972. His commitment to public service began early when he took a leave of absence from Dartmouth to serve in the Peace Corps in India for over two years. Continuing his academic journey, he earned an M.Phil. from the University of London in 1978 and a Ph.D. in political science from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) in 1981. His dissertation on the U.S. House of Representatives was recognized as the best in its field that year.

Despite the opportunity to pursue a tenure-track faculty position at Harvard, Wolf chose to return home and work in his family’s business.

Business Career and Early Public Service

Wolf joined The Wolf Organization, a building materials company, where he worked his way up from managing a True Value hardware store to becoming chairman and CEO. Under his leadership, the company expanded and became a leading supplier of kitchen and bath cabinetry.

In addition to running his business, Wolf dedicated himself to public service. He served on Pennsylvania’s economic development board, the Pennsylvania Legislative Commission on Urban Schools, and chaired various community organizations, including the York County United Way and the York County Chamber of Commerce.

In 2007, then-Governor Ed Rendell appointed Wolf as Pennsylvania’s Secretary of Revenue, where he worked to modernize the state’s tax system. He stepped down in 2008 to rescue The Wolf Organization, which was struggling financially, repurchasing the company and successfully turning it around.

Governor of Pennsylvania (2015–2023)

In 2014, Wolf entered the race for Governor of Pennsylvania, running as a Democrat. His campaign focused on education funding, economic development, and government reform. With a strong grassroots effort and a significant personal investment, he won the Democratic nomination and defeated Republican incumbent Tom Corbett by nearly 10 points, becoming Pennsylvania’s 47th governor. He was reelected in 2018 by a wide margin.

During his two terms, Wolf prioritized:
✅ Education: Increased state funding for public schools and expanded early childhood education.
✅ Healthcare: Expanded Medicaid under the Affordable Care Act, providing coverage to hundreds of thousands of Pennsylvanians.
✅ Economic Growth: Invested in workforce development and infrastructure while pushing for tax reforms.
✅ Opioid Crisis Response: Declared a statewide emergency to combat the opioid epidemic and expanded access to treatment programs.
✅ Criminal Justice Reform: Signed legislation to seal certain criminal records and issued a record 2,540 pardons, including for many low-level marijuana offenses.
✅ COVID-19 Response: Implemented public health measures to slow the spread of the virus, including business shutdowns and mask mandates. While these measures faced legal and political challenges, they were aimed at protecting public health.

One of Wolf’s defining policy shifts was his support for marijuana legalization, which he publicly advocated in 2019 after a statewide listening tour. He also strengthened voting rights, signing a no-excuse mail-in voting law in 2019, which played a major role in the 2020 elections.

Personal Life and Legacy

Wolf met his wife, Frances Donnelly, while both were students in London, and they married in 1975. They have two daughters and lived in York, Pennsylvania, throughout his governorship, with Wolf choosing to commute rather than move into the Governor’s Residence. In 2023, they announced their move to Philadelphia.

In 2016, Wolf was diagnosed with prostate cancer, but thanks to early detection and treatment, he was given a clean bill of health in 2017.

Wolf left office in January 2023, succeeded by fellow Democrat Josh Shapiro. His legacy is one of pragmatism, public service, and policy-driven leadership. Whether in business or government, his approach was always rooted in problem-solving, fairness, and a commitment to the people of Pennsylvania.