Desert storm 2 Todd M. Hooker prides himself on his commitment to his country and community.  In 1988. Todd entered the United States Army as an infantry paratrooper in the 82nd Airborne Division, located at Fort Bragg, North Carolina.  He served in Delta Company, 1st Battalion, 325th Airborne Infantry Regiment.  After his tour in the 82nd Airborne, Todd was transferred to the 8th Infantry Division in Germany.  From there, he was deployed to Kuwait as part of a combat team from the 8th Infantry Division.  Todd is a veteran of the first Gulf War.

After returning from the Kuwaiti desert, Todd re-enlisted in the Army and changed his military occupational specialty so that he could focus on his educational goals.  He worked as a research assistant at the United States Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases (USAMRIID) in Fort Detrick, Maryland, where he assisted in the production and characterization of monoclonal antibodies, and in-vivo and in-vitro toxicological studies.  Todd earned the rank of Staff Sergeant while in the Army and was honorably discharged  in January 1995.

After graduating from the University of Maryland School of Law in May 1998, Todd moved to New Jersey with his young family to begin his legal career.  Wrestling coach 1

Todd served on the Frankford Township Open Space Committee from 2002 through 2007. He also coached tee-ball and minor league baseball for four years, and he coached the Branchville Bomber youth wrestling team for seven years.

Todd also understands and values the importance of conservation, sustainability and the stewardship of our shared environment.  He is passionate about clean air, clean water, and urban renewal.  This is why Todd has volunteered with the NJ Tree Foundation, a statewide non-profit organization dedicated to planting trees in NJ’s most under-served neighborhoods.  Todd most recently planted trees with students from the Quitman Street School in Newark, New Jersey. Newark tree plant 1

Todd also works to raise awareness by volunteering to raise money to benefit the TREE Fund, which provides research grants to major universities throughout the country in order to advance the rehabilitation and preservation of urban forests.  He most recently volunteered to ride his bicycle in the 2015 STIHL Tour des Trees, a 561 mile charity bike ride for the TREE Fund.

As a Tour cyclist, Todd committed to raising at least $3,500 for the TREE Fund. The money he and other Tour riders raised supports the TREE Fund’s efforts to discover better methods for propagation, as well as the planting and care of urban trees. Tour des trees TREE Fund 2The Tour also supports education programs aimed at connecting young people with the environment and with career opportunities in the green industries.  This was Todd’s second STIHL Tour des Trees ride.  In 2013, he rode from Syracuse, New York to Toronto, Ontario.