Thomas J. Starke is a highly accomplished leader, decorated combat veteran, and dedicated advocate for the U.S. veteran community. He brings together distinguished military service with extensive corporate, operational, and franchise leadership experience to champion empowerment and entrepreneurship among veterans and their families.

A decorated U.S. Army Officer, Thom is a Distinguished Military Graduate of the University of Massachusetts–Amherst ROTC program and holds a Bachelor of Science in Biology and Chemistry from Springfield College. His military career included numerous stateside and overseas leadership roles, most notably his service as Aide-de-Camp to the Assistant Division Commander of the storied First Infantry Division, the “Big Red One.” His commitment, professionalism, and valor are reflected in his awards, including the Bronze Star Medal and the Combat Medical Badge.

After his honorable service, Thom transitioned seamlessly into the private sector, gaining significant experience in sales, marketing, and service management before running his own small business for nearly two decades. His entrepreneurial spirit and operational expertise later led him to JDog Brands, where he has been a key leader for more than a decade. Beginning in the field as an Operations Manager and General Manager for local franchise operations, Thom went on to serve as Vice President of Operations and Training at JDog Headquarters. His unique blend of military discipline, business acumen, and community commitment has made him a driving force in JDog’s mission to support veterans through business ownership and meaningful employment.

A Long Island native who has called the greater Philadelphia region home for more than thirty years, Thom has a long record of community service, including years of volunteer coaching in high school wrestling and lacrosse. His dedication to the veteran community is equally deep. Thom has served as a Commander at both local and district levels in the Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) and has chaired veteran committees at both local and state levels. In 2006, he was honored as Veteran of the Year and received the J. Robert Redfern Award from Pennsylvania District 16 VFW. He has also contributed his leadership to the Veterans Advisory Boards of U.S. Representatives Michael Fitzpatrick and Patrick Murphy.

Today, Thom continues his mission of service as an active Board Member and Volunteer with Heroic Gardens, providing support and enrichment to veterans across the region. His leadership is guided by the values he has embodied throughout his life—service, integrity, and unwavering dedication to others.

“Thom’s leadership journey has always been about service—first to his country, then to his community, and now to our franchisees,” said Jerry Flanagan, Founder and CEO of JDog Brands. “He lives the values of Respect, Integrity, and Trust, and his deep understanding of what it takes to run a successful JDog franchise makes him the right person to lead both of our service brands forward.”