Tom Gaglardi brings Texas roots, a Canadian’s love of the game, and a hockey player’s passion to his ownership of the Dallas Stars. Gaglardi (pronounced Gah-lar-dee) was announced as the third owner of the Dallas franchise on November 21, 2011 at a news conference that included National Hockey League Commissioner Gary Bettman. Gaglardi told reporters that his mother is a native of Longview, Texas, and he has “live it-and- breathe it” University of Texas graduates and family members who reside in Burleson, Texas. For the record, Gaglardi has played hockey since he was five years old. The new Stars owner says his natural position early was as a center, but he has ceded that to “the younger, faster guys” and now is a right winger for his team, the Sandman Blazers. Gaglardi is 43 years old.

“I have always admired the Dallas Stars franchise,” said Gaglardi. “The last few years have been difficult on the franchise and the fans, but I do believe the team has a strong foundation and leadership, and there is no questioning the quality of the tradition. The next generation of Stars hockey will be defined by the entire organization’s teamwork; we will all be pulling the same rope. No one will doubt our will and unwavering commitment to win.”

Gaglardi is the President of Northland Properties Corporation, the largest family-owned hospitality company in Canada. He is described as a leader who truly knows his business inside and out having begun his career in the industry at age 13 in a busboy position; he has worked in virtually every area of the business since that time.

While in college at The University of British Columbia, Gaglardi worked in the Construction Division of the company, and at one point he was responsible for a crew of several dozen workers while still a teenager. Upon completion of his degree, he joined the business as a regional manager of its hotel group. At age 23, he was promoted to president of the hotel company, and at 26, he became president of Northland Properties Corporation, the Gaglardi family's umbrella company which now has grown to include:

Kamloops Blazers Hockey Club
Sandman Hotel Group
Sutton Place Hotel Company
Denny’s Restaurants of Canada
Moxie’s Classic Grill Group
Chop Steakhouse & Bar Group
Shark Club Bar & Grill Group
Rockford Restaurant Group
Revelstoke Mountain Resort
Northland Asset Management

Gaglardi has been described as relentless in his pursuit of his goal to have hotels and restaurants in every primary market in Canada. He is especially involved in the rapid development of new hotels and restaurants throughout Canada, and these efforts have been recently focused on Eastern Canada.

An active member of the community, Gaglardi founded The Sandman Harvest Foundation, which raises money for disadvantaged and medically challenged children living in the Okanagan Valley of British Columbia and as featured on the NHL Network; over $1,000,000 has been raised to date. He also serves as Trustee for the PA and JM Gaglardi Senior Citizens Society, a non-profit society providing housing for seniors in Kamloops, BC. Gaglardi also founded The Josh Dyck Foundation to assist 8-year-old Josh with his recovery from an auto accident in October, 2006, which left him paralyzed and confined to a wheelchair.“Nothing is more important to me than family and giving back. I’ve been involved in our home communities my entire life,” said Gaglardi. “My initial focus here in Dallas, however, will be in a supporting role for the team’s professional management. That’s my philosophy. Put the best people in place, help them create goals, support and assist them, and let them run the organization.”

Gaglardi and his wife Brittney have three sons, ages six, seven and eight, and all are competitive hockey players.  In addition to his own participation on his hockey team, Gaglardi enjoys playing golf and spending time with his family at their cottage on the shores of Kamloops Lake near Savona, BC.