Early Life
Thomas J. Tull was born on June 9, 1970, in Endwell, New York. Growing up with a single mother who worked as a dental hygienist, Tull excelled in sports, particularly baseball and football. He graduated from Hamilton College in 1992.
Rise to Success
Tull's career began outside of the entertainment industry. He started a chain of laundromats after college and later moved into the financial sector. He gained experience buying and selling tax and accounting offices, eventually becoming the chief of operations at Tax Services of America. In 2001, he joined the Convex Group, an investment firm, where he began to learn about the entertainment business. In 2003, Tull made a significant career leap, raising approximately $600 million to found Legendary Entertainment. The company quickly became a major player in Hollywood, partnering with Warner Bros. to co-finance and produce films.
Key Business Strategies
Legendary Entertainment distinguished itself by embracing technology and data analytics to improve marketing and decision-making in film production. Tull built an analytics division within the company that utilized data to make marketing and other key decisions. This strategy helped Legendary produce numerous successful films. Tull left Legendary Entertainment in 2017 after the company was acquired by Wanda Group. He then founded Tulco LLC, an investment holding company that utilizes artificial intelligence and other technologies.
Philanthropy
Thomas Tull is actively involved in philanthropy through the Tull Family Foundation, supporting initiatives in youth, education, and medical research. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the foundation donated $4.2 million in personal protective equipment. He has also donated to the Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh for pediatric research and art therapy programs and the University of Pittsburgh for brain cancer research. Tull also supports various educational and cultural institutions.