Researching Tom Marshall

Born in Niagara Falls, Ontario, he grew up in the United States. He was educated at Queen's University in Kingston, where he received his MA in 1965, writing his thesis on poet A. M. Klein. Marshall taught at the institution from 1964 until his death.

Marshall was the author of numerous poetry collections and novels, the poetry editor of Canadian Forum and the chief editor of Quarry.

At the time of his death in 1993, Marshall had completed a final novel, The Adventures of John Montgomery. The novel was posthumously published in 1995, and was reissued in 2014 as part of a series of historical novels set in Kingston. The Essential Tom Marshall, an anthology of his poetry compiled by David Helwig and Michael Ondaatje, was published in 2012.

Marshall represented the district of Humber East in the House of Assembly for the Progressive Conservative Party from 2003 until 2014. He had been a senior minister in the cabinets of Danny Williams and Kathy Dunderdale, having served in the portfolios of Minister of Finance and President of Treasury Board, Attorney General, Minister of Natural Resources, Minister of Justice and Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs. Prior to entering politics Marshall was a successful lawyer in Corner Brook. His father is Jack Marshall, who served as a Member of Parliament and Canadian Senator.

Marshall was born in Ayrshire Scotland. His parents emigrated to New Zealand in 1925, settling in Moera, near Petone, Wellington. He was educated at Randwick School (Moera) and Hutt Valley High School. After serving as a navigator in the Fleet Air Arm during World War II, he married Jenny Burne-Jones in Bellshill, Glasgow in 1945 and they settled in Wellington. He graduated with a Bachelor of Commerce degree from Victoria University of Wellington. He worked initially in the New Zealand Treasury and later in advertising, magazine publishing, teaching and management consultancy.

He and his wife were foundation members of the Wainuiomata Baptist Church. In the early 1960s he became involved in the Charismatic Renewal movement in New Zealand and left the Baptist Church to form a house church. He was subsequently invited to speak at both charismatic and mainstream Christian churches in New Zealand.In the 1970s he moved to the Kapiti Coast north of Wellington and was instrumental in forming the Kapiti Christian Centre. He was the founding editor of The Shaker magazine (later renamed Today's Christian). In the 1980s he spoke at many overseas conventions and was involved in the ministry of Youth with a Mission.

His book Understanding Leadership (1991) is essentially concerned with servant leadership as defined by Robert Greenleaf. It describes how and why leadership is distinct from management, administration or ministry and offers perspectives on topics such as foresight, trust, criticism, caring, status, timing, failure and honour. Understanding Leadership is published by Sovereign World Ltd. Understanding Leadership is published in the U.S. by Northwestern Publishing House. A 2003 edition is published by Baker Books