Toast's Thom Bloom is Birmingham-Bloomfield Businessman of the Year

The Birmingham Bloomfield Chamber of Commerce awarded Thom Bloom, owner of Toast Restaurant Group, as the 2013 Business Person of the Year at it's annual meeting at the Birmingham Athletic Club.

The award is annually given to someone that demonstrates personal and professional leadership within the business or nonprofit community. And Bloom, and wife, Regan, have shown they can grow their business while giving back to the community at large since opening in downtown Birmingham in 2008. 

During the Pierce Street construction project last spring, Toast invited some of Detroit’s top graffiti artists to transform the construction barriers in front of the restaurant into a unique 'Art Garden.' The artwork was auctioned off to benefit the Birmingham Education Foundation's (BEF) efforts to maintain art and music programs in the Birmingham Public Schools.

“Thom Bloom is a true community leader,” said BEF Executive Director Laura T. Couger in a release. “He is incredibly creative, open minded and generous.  What he did with the Art Garden was just remarkable.” 

Bloom, is the president of his neighborhood association Pleasant Ridge, and is involved with numerous non-profit and charitable organizations.