Who is Wolfe Tone?
An Irish revolutionary from the 1700s?
No, but incredibly, his family are direct descendants from the original Theobald Wolfe Tone, who led a rebellion seeking independence from England in 1798. While the original Tone’s efforts, which included meeting Napoleon to ask for help from the French Navy, ended in his imprisonment and death, the movement was not abandoned and Ireland eventually gained independence in 1922.
"While my dad was adopted into the Tone family, my parents loved the name and its history. And in the early 1970s [during The Troubles], it was memorable.”
Lead singer of the Wolfe Tones?
No, but he tried to reach out to them. The popular Irish folk band hasn’t responded yet.
Herky?
Yes. Well, at least a couple of times. Tone’s first experience as our favorite mascot was at Carver-Hawkeye Arena the winter of 1993. In preparation for his debut as Herky, he was changing in the wrestling facilities when none other than legendary wrestling coach Dan Gable showed up and proceeded to get him pumped up for the game.
"He asked me ‘What’s the weather?’ ‘Who are we playing?’ and ‘Who’s going to win?’ By the end, he’s shouting at me. I’m shouting back. I’m fired up. I was ready to be the best Herky ever. How could I not? I quickly threw on the molded head, ran out there, and was instantaneously surrounded by kids. I had been coached to bend a knee to interact because it’s difficult to see out of the costume. But after my pep talk with Gable, I forgot all that guidance and aggressively bent at the waist to look at the young Hawkeye fans—only to peck the top of a kid’s head. He goes down and isn’t moving. And since Herky doesn’t speak, I couldn’t ask him if he was okay and instead tried to assess the situation by flailing my winged arms. Fortunately, his mom quickly came over to help and he scrambled off in tears. I’m sure he’s a Cyclone fan now... Somehow, they let me do it again.”
A lawyer?
Nope. He originally planned to go to law school after undergrad so he could buy and sell companies, but former Tippie professor Amy Dunbar convinced him to defer and try a year as a CPA first.
"When I started working, I found that I loved it. Accounting is a three-dimensional chess match—the better you understand the ever-changing rules, the more value and insight you can deliver to your clients. Also, public accounting is a team sport. Everyone plays an integral role in accomplishing a common goal.”
A husband and dad?
"Most importantly!”
He has been proudly married to Laura Lee (Garner) Tone (BBA95) for more than 24 years and they have two children, an 18-year-old daughter, Rowan, and a 16-year-old son, Wolfie.
Heir to the Tone’s Spices fortune?
No. Tone grew up in the farming community of Alburnett, Iowa, not Des Moines, where the spice company was founded in 1873. That said, he’s a big fan of their products.
Angler?
Yes, he loves fishing—for bass, walleye, northern, trout, and bone fish. He’s cast his line from the Bahamas to Northern Saskatchewan and everywhere in between.
Owner of Wolfe Tone's Pub & Kitchen in Manhattan?
"No, but I’ve been there. Proving my name to the bartender earned my table a free round of Guinness!”
Tippie alum?
Yes. Tone graduated with an accounting degree from Tippie in 1996 and is the 2025 Outstanding Accounting Alum of the Year. He has served on both the Professional Accounting Council and the Tippie Advisory Board. He has also actively recruited and hired dozens of fellow Hawkeyes since he graduated.
Chairman of the Wolfe Tones Gaelic Athletic Association?
No, but there is a team named this in Chicago, where he lives. The sport blends soccer, rugby, and basketball.
A leader in industry?
Definitely. Tone is currently the leader of Global Deloitte Private and the vice chair and leader of U.S. Deloitte Private, where he is committed to serving family-owned companies, family offices, mid-market private equity structures, high-growth startups, and other privately owned businesses and their owners. Tone reports that collectively, Deloitte Private generates over 25% of the firm’s revenue.
"Over the past 29 years, I’ve never had the same day twice, which forced me to become very agile throughout my career. I’ve enjoyed every stage. Whether I was establishing a deep technical knowledge of complex tax rules, developing teams, broadening my understanding of the vast services our firm provides, creating meaningful relationships with clients and future clients, or taking on new leadership roles, each step allowed me to make a positive impact.”
Looking ahead to 2026, Tone reports that private companies are highly focused on growth, looking at a range of investments to navigate an evolving business landscape, including supply chain expansion, talent development, and most notably, AI and other emerging technologies.
“The next year will be exciting.”
This article appeared in the 2025 issue of Iowa Ledger.