Tom Heaviland is the perfect example of the butterfly effect.
The very start came in the middle of a baseball game, when an umpire suggested Bemidji State University to a high schooler. Heaviland took the referral to heart, and decades later, BSU is reaping the rewards. Not only did the chance conversation start to form Heaviland’s collegiate plans, but he has since adopted a mission that has helped shape Bemidji State in many ways.
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From captaining a national championship team to making generous donations and serving on the BSU Alumni & Foundation Board of Directors, Heaviland’s impact on the university is directly correlated to an umpire who just so happened to mention the school way back when.
“I was playing an American Legion baseball game, and the umpire asked, ‘What are you going to do next year?’” said Heaviland, who later learned the ump’s brother was a BSU football coach at the time. “When I mentioned wanting to play hockey and baseball for a small school, he asked, ‘Have you considered Bemidji State?’ Of course, I’d never heard of Bemidji.”
Nevertheless, Heaviland is now one of BSU’s most dedicated graduates. He’s heavily involved in the goings-on — often from his homes in northern Idaho and California, but is still no stranger to campus — and maintains connections that span nearly five decades. He also provides crucial financial backing to the hockey program that shaped his college experience and to the business school that prepared him for professional success.
A dedicated CEO, an involved alumnus
Heaviland’s professional journey includes founding, owning and operating Heaviland Landscape Management from 1985 to 2019, establishing it as a respected commercial landscape services provider throughout southern California. Today, Heaviland serves as the CEO of Verde Property Services, where he runs a company focused on buying and growing landscaping businesses.
Further adding to his resume, Heaviland also served on the Alumni & Foundation Board of Directors for six years, completing his second term in February 2025. During his tenure, he was a dedicated and respected member who also chaired the board’s Development and Stewardship Committee.
“It was a good growth opportunity for me to become involved in that capacity,” he said. “Getting to meet other like-minded individuals on the board and serving with them was just a really incredible experience.”
Heaviland also co-chaired the National Hockey Alumni Committee, where he worked to keep fellow hockey alumni engaged with the university and helped spearhead fundraising efforts specifically supporting the men’s hockey program.
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All of his areas of involvement have been personally enriching and impactful, he said.
“It was a real great experience,” he said. “It was growth for me personally, but it also allowed me to contribute in some small way to the success and mission and vision of the university.”
‘It sells itself’
Following the happenstance recruitment pitch by the umpire, Heaviland visited campus with his father and was impressed by the beautiful lakeside setting. He enrolled and arrived at BSU in 1975, not knowing a soul.
Four years later, he and eight freshman teammates on the men’s hockey team who entered together all graduated as brothers — with a 1979 NAIA national championship to their names.
“Nine of us came in as freshmen and four years later, nine of us graduated together,” Heaviland said. “To this day, we’re extremely close. We’ve got a text chain that we’re always on, and five or six of us get together every summer.”
Naturally, Heaviland’s passion for BSU Athletics — and particularly hockey — shines.
“I’ve got a love for the program, and I want to see them succeed,” he said. “I want to see them win the conference. I want to see them make it back to the Frozen Four.”
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Heaviland recognizes the financial challenges that small schools like BSU face, which drives his commitment to support not just hockey but the entire athletic department.
“They’ve really done a great job with limited resources,” he said, expressing admiration for BSU’s success across multiple sports.
As a business major during his time at BSU, Heaviland and his wife are also passionate about supporting business education. Tom and Joanne have established a scholarship endowment that supports business students who might not otherwise have the resources to pursue their degree.
“When you understand what Bemidji State’s vision is, and what we hope to accomplish through our students and faculty and staff, it’s inspiring and it sells itself,” he said. “You want to get behind something that you know is going to have an impact and for sure make a difference in students’ lives.”
Having experienced it firsthand, Heaviland understands the transformative power of education and athletic competition.
“When you can see that impact and you know it’s making a difference, it’s a lot easier to get out your checkbook and get behind something that’s going to have a lasting legacy,” he said.
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