Tom Rinker

In 1960, at the young age of fifteen, Tom Rinker began his calling career as club caller for a teenage square dance club in Omaha, Nebraska. Intrigued by the grace and style of square dancing, Tom put together a square dance exhibition group in the mid-sixties which performed at four National Square Dance Conventions and many regional conventions and festivals. Tom's square dance calling tours had included trips to New England and in 1969, Tom and his wife Mary decided that this was the place to raise their family. They packed their bags and moved to Massachusetts, where Tom became very active in the New England square dance scene. By this time, Tom had been featured at festivals, square dance weekends and club dances in thirty-five states. Now with this move, Tom decided to stay closer to home and confine his calling to New England. In 1981, Tom and Mary became the owners and operators of Bay Path Barn in Boylston, Massachusetts, a nationally known square dance facility since 1955.

Presently Tom conducts dances and workshops from Mainstream through C-3A levels. He still travels extensively to call throughout New England on weekends. Tom and Mary also teach Country Western dancing. Tom and Mary served as Presidents of the Nebraska Square and Round Dance Association, and Tom has served as Vice President of the Omaha Area Callers Association and several times as President of the Central Massachusetts Callers Association. Tom's fascination with choreography resulted in a regular monthly feature in the Nebraska Roundup Square Dance Magazine and invitations to conduct clinics on Creative Choreography and Teaching Techniques for several callers associations. The Rinkers, who have eight children, live in Boylston, Massachusetts. Tom is a Certified Public Accountant and works as chief financial officer for a corporate group in Auburn, Massachusetts. This corporate group includes, among other companies, Lundgren Honda and AP Properties, Inc.