Tom Chapman: A Mentor Cardinal and Kansas Jayhawk
Football Player, Contractor and Pastor
Family, Education and Career
Tom Chapman (H. Thomas Chapman) married Claudia M. Acheson in 1972. They have (4) children, son Lad and (3) girls, Andrea, Lydia and Lexi; they also have (13) grandchildren.
Tom grew up in Mentor, Ohio and graduated from Mentor High School in 1967. Tom played both Offensive and Defensive End for Coach Dick Crum on the 1966 Undefeated Mentor Cardinal Football Team. He received a full Scholarship to the University of Kansas in Lawrence Kansas to play football. Tom attended KU in 1967, 68, and 1969; he played both ways on the Freshman Football Team for Coach Dick Tomey at Kansas as well in 1967. He was a Defensive End on the Kansas Jayhawk Team, coached by Pepper Rodgers, that played Penn State, coached by Joe Paterno, in the 1969 Orange Bowl. The 1969 Orange Bowl was one of the closest in history. Kansas appeared to have won the game, however, a defensive penalty gave Penn State a second chance and they won by 1 point, 15 to 14. Kansas finished the 68' regular season 9-1, Co-Champions in the Big Eight Conference and finished the year ranked #7 in the AP and UPI national rankings in 1968. Tom was inducted into the Mentor Sports Hall of Fame in 2003.
He graduated from Lakeland College in Kirtland, Ohio with an Associates Degree in Business and received a Certificate in Applied Electrical Technologies from Cleveland State University. Tom also earned a Bachelors Degree in Theology from Trinity College of the Bible and a Certificate in Biblical Counseling from Master's Divinity School.
Tom began working part time for the family owned business, V. L. Chapman Electric, Inc., in High School and breaks in College. He joined the Company full time in September of 1971. Tom has been an Electrical Contractor with V. L. Chapman Electric for 48 years. Serving on numerous Labor Management committees over the years, Tom was the Chairman of the Northeast Division of the National Electrical Contractor's Association for 12 years and a member of the Greater Cleveland Chapter of NECA's Board of Directors. He was the fourth President of Chapman Electric, succeeding his father, Vernon Chapman, his mother, Winifred Chapman and his older brother, James Chapman who passed away in 2001. Tom's son, Vernon Ladis "Lad" Chapman is the current President of the Company.
H. Thomas Chapman is the Chairman of the Board and the CEO of V. L. Chapman Electric, Inc. in Grand River, Ohio.
Serving The Church
" The Word of the Cross is to those who are perishing foolishness. But, to those of us who are being saved, it is the power of God".
1 Corinthians 1:18
Tom became a Believer in Jesus Christ at the age of 29, in 1978. He served first as a Sunday School teacher for 4th and 5th grade boys, then a Deacon, Head Deacon, Congregational Chairman, Elder and Head Elder at Leroy Community Chapel in Painesville, Ohio. The Congregation at Leroy asked him to join the Pastoral Staff in 1997. While attending the "Stand in the Gap" event in Washington D.C. on October 4th of the same year, a speaker, Ronnie Floyd, challenged the men and said 'Some of you need to go home and become Pastors in your churches'. Tom took that as a message to him straight from God. He served as a Staff Pastor for 16 years at Leroy Community Chapel and at a church plant, Grand River Community Chapel, in Grand River, Ohio. An evangelist at heart, Tom has shared the Gospel of Christ not only here in the States, but in Haiti, Mexico, Cuba and Africa. He retired from the Leroy Chapel staff in 2014, on his 65th birthday, but continues to serve as a Pastor for the Lake County Jail Ministry, conducting Sunday services at the Lake County Jail in Painesville, Ohio. He is the Chairman of Lake County Jail Ministry Board of Directors. See www.news-herald.com/article/HR/20110101/NEWS/30101999
As a Football Player, He is a Cardinal and a Jayhawk.
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Tom on Mission for the Lord
