Tom Patterson is the founder of Tocaro Blue. With his family’s knowledge and love for sailing, and the evolution of Internet of Tomorrow (IoT) technology, Tom, along with his wife Carol and son Jared, started Tocaro Blue in 2019 to develop and build reliable, mariniezed IoT sensor-based systems for remote vessel monitoring, security, management and collision alert/avoidance for the boating world. It is a tech-advanced service based marine system package.

Tom is an avid offshore sailor. Starting in 1975 when he purchased a Laser sailboat and joined the Mussel Shoals Sailing Club in Northwest Alabama, Tom and Carol serially owned and O’Day 19’ daysailer, a 36’ Catalina coaster cruiser, a 33’ Hans Christian offshore sailboat, and in 1998 built a custom Shannon 43’ cutter rig sailboat.

In 2000 while planning a transatlantic crossing the Patterson’s collaborated with Shannon Yachts to design and build a custom 52’ Shannon ketch rig configured for sailing across oceans. With twenty-five years sailing experience and through the eyes of a mechanical engineer, Tom had a pretty good idea of what he and Carol desired in a yacht that was sea worthy, outfitted with proper mechanical, electrical, plumbing and rigging.

In 2001 the project was completed. The 52’ ketch was commissioned as Satori and began her voyages with Tom as captain and son Peter as first mate. With Carol’s assistance as voyage planner and logistician they sailed eastward from Newport, Rhode Island across the Atlantic to Bermuda and the Azores, on to Portugal, returning to Pensacola, Florida by way of the Canary Islands, Cape Verde Islands, and he Caribbean Islands from St Lucia to the Virgin Islands.

Combining his sailing hobby with business, Tom and Carol funded a hull development project with Shannon Yachts to develop a new powerboat hull shape that resulted in two prototype boats that they owned and tested in Pensacola Bay and surrounding waters. The successful hull development project resulted in a new line of fuel-efficient power boats that Shannon Yachts designated SHOAL CRUZER’S.

Tom has a long history as a self-starter, a hard worker and a visionary entrepreneur, all starting with his paper route at age 11. This propelled him through public schools where he earned numerous scholarships to The University of Alabama. Earning a BS and MS in Mechanical Engineering, he transitioned from a design engineer to technical sales and marketing.

Over a 10-year period, Tom sold computers and software in the niche markets of simulation, process control, space exploration, military applications, and healthcare. From there he launched a stream of technical companies spanning 40 years, culminating with his first attempt at retirement and moving to Pensacola, Florida in 2010.

For the past ten years, Tom and Carol have focused on angel investing and mentoring young entrepreneurs in the finer points of sales and marketing. Through the member companies that join Tocaro Blue at his shared workspace facility in Pensacola— the JettyIOT.com — Tom wants to combine his enjoyment of mentoring with the thrill of seeing small, entrepreneurial companies prosper.

Tom is active as an advisory board member at The University of Alabama with the Crimson Tide Foundation, the Blackburn Institute, the College of Engineering Leadership Board and is an honorary member of the A Club and the State of Alabama Engineering Hall of Fame. Tom is also active in the community outreach Children’s Center program at St John’s Episcopal Church and the outreach programs of the PYC Satori Foundation in Pensacola.

Tocaro Blue’s President knows boats. Tristan has more operational boat experience than just about any other SEAL officer (Ops/XO/CO) at special boat teams and has commanded them in the continental US and abroad in combat. Because of his experience, he was put in charge of developing the current fleet of special boats to include their “special” capabilities. He is a US Naval Academy and US Naval War College graduate. He is also Defense Acquisition University certified as a program manager.

Tristan comes to Tocaro Blue from the SyTech Corporation where he worked after retiring from the navy as their director of military programs. He managed Department of Defense sales and technological development to support Special Operations communication capabilities. SyTech programs involved development of high tech equipment/software to increase operational relevance and effect.

In his career as a SEAL,Tristan served as the Surface Systems Program Manager leading a diverse 53-person team while managing cost, schedule, and performance for nine combatant craft programs totaling over $450M. Tristan was responsible for developing and fielding two new Special Operations Craft Hull forms and Operationalizing a third experimental hull form. Developments included Stealth, Shock Mitigation, Offensive & Defensive weapons systems, Electronics, Propulsion, and hydrodynamic efficiency.

As the Chief Program Analysis & Evaluations Division & Special Programs Assessment Director Special Operations Command, Tristan led a team of five executives and 235 program civilian and military managers developing the US Special Operations Command’s annual Program Objective Memorandum. That’s a five-year, $67B+ program and resource allocation proposal for the 73,000+ person organization. He concurrently led, managed, and resourced $4.5B+ annually recurring program to support all aspects of sensitive special activities required to organize, train, and equip no-fail forces.

Tristan has not only commanded at every level within the Naval Special Warfare community, but also lead an international joint combined team of over 350 US/Polish and military, civilian, and Department of State personnel in Afghanistan's most kinetic and dynamic combat environment where he mentored the Provincial Governor, 19 Sub-Governors, 36 Line Ministers. He reported to the US Ambassador in Afghanistan.

Carol Patterson is a co-founder of Tocaro Blue and The Jetty IoT. She minds the corporate finances.

Carol spent 15 years with CIGNA companies. Her last position with CIGNA was Director of Provider Relations for the Dallas Fort Worth Metroplex. She then worked for Auburn Systems as CFO and Marketing Director. Auburn Systems was a start-up MIS time share company for Healthplans. It was the first company to have a recurring revenue model in healthcare and was based in Dallas, Texas.

She and Tom then started TXEN in Dallas and moved the headquarters to Birmingham, AL. TXEN provided MIS services to Third Party Administrators also on a recurring revenue model. She and Tom sold that company in 1998. The next company the couple started was DAXKO, and now Tocaro Blue and The Jetty IoT.

Boating is in Carol’s blood. She and Tom serially owned an O’Day 19’ daysailer, a 36’ Catalina coastal cruiser, a 33’ Hans Christian offshore sailboat, and in 1998 built a custom Shannon 43’ cutter rig sailboat.

In 2000 while planning a transatlantic crossing the Patterson’s collaborated with Shannon Yachts to design and build a custom 52’ Shannon ketch rig configured for sailing across oceans. In 2001 the project was completed. The 52’ ketch was commissioned as Satori and began her voyages with Tom as captain and son Peter as first mate.

With Carol’s assistance as voyage planner and logistician they sailed eastward from Newport, Rhode Island across the Atlantic to Bermuda and the Azores, on to Portugal, returning to Pensacola, Florida by way of the Canary Islands, Cape Verde Islands, and the Caribbean Islands from St Lucia to the Virgin Islands.

For the past ten years, Carol and Tom have focused on angel investing and mentoring young entrepreneurs in the finer points of sales and marketing with the member companies that join The Jetty IoT at the shared workspace facility in Pensacola—

Carol and Tom enjoy their home in Pensacola and their family in Birmingham, AL and Jacksonville, FL. Carol is actively involved as an advisory board member of the Blackburn Institute at the University of Alabama. She volunteers at the PYC Satori Foundation and at St. John’s Episcopal Church in Pensacola.

With boating as his vocation and avocation, Ed is an integral part of our management team. He is a lifelong boater, a U.S. Coast Guard Licensed Master, and a graduate of the Florida Institute of Technology Marine Technology Program. While attending FIT, Ed supplemented his college funding by working as a final rigger and delivery captain at a Hatteras Yacht dealership where he acquired vast experience in navigating the waters of the Bahamas and the eastern seaboard of the United States.

Immediately upon finishing his degree studies, Ed became a managing partner in a marina and restaurant development where he oversaw the permitting, construction, and ultimately the sale of the facility.
In the late eighties, Ed started a new chapter in his career by joining the Sales and Marketing team at Chris Craft. He has been in the marine industry ever since including serving as Fishing Boat Product Manager for Wellcraft Marine and Director of Sales for Hydra-Sports Boats.

Prior to joining Tocaro Blue, Ed was Customer Relations Manager for Tampa Yacht Manufacturing where he managed the contracts, production, and crew training for high-speed patrol boats delivered to customers including U.S. Department of State (INL), U.S. Air Force (AFTC-EGLIN), Kuwait Coast Guard, Indian Border Security Force, Indian Navy Special Operations, Indian Army (MOD), and U.K. MOD/ Gibraltar Police.

Ed brings to Tocaro Blue 40+ years of product development, sales, and operational experience in the recreational, and commercial boat-building industries.