7 minute read

The McGlade Family

Thankful to Be in Marple

Resident Feature by Holly Stupak

When Katie and Tom McGlade were first married, they shared a clear vision about where they wanted to live and raise a family: an affordable, friendly town and a house with plenty of space for kids to run around. They found that perfect home here in Marple and have lived happily ever after here for almost 10 years.

Tom grew up in Havertown and was the youngest of two older sisters and a brother. After finishing eighth grade at Annunciation BVM he went on to Haverford High School and graduated in 1995. Growing up, Tom lived across from the Skatium ice rink. The combination of walking by it every day and watching his older brother play ice hockey sparked his own interest in playing. As a young boy he started with the Haverford Hawks and later played for Haverford High School.

What was great about playing ice hockey was not just the sport itself, but getting to meet kids from all different schools,” said Tom. “I met a lot of people from Marple and now that I’m living here, it’s great to reconnect with some of my old teammates.

After high school Tom entered the carpenters union and while he learned a lot about carpentry, he ultimately wanted to start his own general contracting business. He now owns two businesses: T-Mac’s Construction and T-Mac’s Landscaping where he gets to do a bit of everything.

The best part of being a contractor is showing a customer the final product,” said Tom. “Everyone wants to take their new home and make it their own. I want to make sure it’s a home they’ll love for years to come.

Tom’s contracting business pairs well with his wife Katie’s job as a realtor. Like Tom, Katie plays a key role in getting people their dream home. “Oftentimes Katie will have new homeowners who are looking for remodeling ideas and she’s able to send them my way,” said Tom.

Katie and Tom McGlade

Photo by MicDuff Photography, www.MicDuff.com

Originally from Newtown Square, Katie attended Saints Colman-John Neumann School in Bryn Mawr before attending The Academy of Notre Dame for high school. Its small classes and tight-knit community were the perfect fit for her. As a student Katie was a member of student council and played on the school’s field hockey, lacrosse and basketball teams.

After graduating from Notre Dame in 1994, she went on to study Criminology at Salve Regina University in Rhode Island.

Although she enjoyed college life in the beautiful setting of Newport, she decided to shift gears and follow her calling to be a realtor. She spent 12 years with Coldwell Banker before joining Compass two years ago.

Being a realtor is a really fun job,” said Katie. “I love being able to help people find their dream home.

In 2013, Katie’s passion for children, families and business led her to purchase an investment property in the ever changing Northern Liberties area. Catering to the needs of this community, she developed a small, diverse and sustainable daycare, Liberty Learning Center. The facility has grown in the neighborhood serving a transitioning community and its families. She has since opened a second location with plans to open a third. “My careers have afforded me the inspiration to be a beacon in a city that offers such diverse community engagement,” said Katie.

Katie and Tom initially met each other through mutual friends. Back when they were in their twenties, they were part of a great group of friends who loved to go out to local places on the weekends. The two always got along, but it was not until a few years later while attending their friend's wedding that they realized they had a romantic connection. From there, their relationship blossomed quickly. Katie was living in Center City

Philadelphia at the time, but after things got serious with Tom, she decided to move to his Havertown townhome and soon after that they started their married life.

Eventually they began to look for a bigger house and found they could get more land in Marple.

As a realtor I knew Marple was a great place to live,” said Katie. “Not only does it have low taxes, it’s so central to everything. I can get into the city quickly for work or a dinner out. Marple just feels like home.

Tom also loves the location, especially being close to Kent Road Park, which they can walk to. “We love taking the kids and dogs over there for hikes. It’s one of our favorite places.”

The McGlade children (L-R): Molly and Finnigan McGlade

Photo by MicDuff Photography, www.MicDuff.com

Katie and Tom have two children: Finnigan and Molly. Finnigan is a sweet and sensitive nine-year old. “He’s definitely an old soul,” said Katie. “He’s just an all around great kid.” A third grader at St. Aloysius Academy for Boys, he loves school and enjoys playing flag football. And his dad is enjoying teaching him how to play hockey. Their daughter Molly is seven and a second-grader at Katie’s alma mater Saints Colman-John Neumann. A super kind and active kid, she’s showing an interest in playing field hockey like her mom and is also learning to play piano. Recently she took up horseback riding at Greylyn Farms in Newtown Square. “We have no plans to buy a horse though,” joked Katie. “But I will buy her a hockey stick!”

Finnigan and Molly also created a special bond with Katie’s parents, who moved into Katie and Tom’s in-law suite after they retired. Sadly, Katie's dad passed away in 2018, but she said she was so grateful for the time her kids had with him and for the special memories they made. Katie’s mom still lives with the McGlades and works with Katie at the daycare center. “The kids love her!” said Katie. “They call her Ms. B and she’s known as everyone’s grandmother there.”

The McGlade Family

Photo by MicDuff Photography, www.MicDuff.com

Despite their busy lives taking care of the kids and running several businesses, Tom and Katie find time for hobbies and giving back to local communities. Tom is still enjoying playing hockey, too. Two days a week he gets up at 5am to play a 6am game through the Shinny USA Hockey League. “It’s such a great group of guys,” said Tom. “Plus it’s a great start to my day before I head out to work.” Katie is a member of The Saturday Club, a non-profit organization of volunteer women. Their mission is to improve the lives of women, children and families in the Philadelphia region.

I love all the community outreach programs and fundraisers we do each year,” said Katie. “I’m proud to be part of one of the country's oldest women’s clubs that makes such an impact on our community.

For the past several years, Katie has also been participating in Sleep Out through Covenant House Pennsylvania, a program for young people in desperate situations. Sleep Outs raise funds so that they can help young people facing homelessness become healthy and productive adults. “I found out about this program through a realtor friend,” said Katie. “Despite the fact that we sleep in cardboard boxes and it’s usually freezing cold, I think of it as one of the best nights of the year. We hear so many stories about young people being able to turn their lives around. It’s very inspirational.”

The McGlade Family in Ocean City, NJ

Photo courtesy of Katie McGlade

Summers for the McGlades mean lots of time in Ocean City, NJ where Tom’s parents own a home. “We spend 10 out of 13 weekends of the summer down the shore,” said Tom. “The kids love getting to spend time with their grandparents and I enjoy teaching both kids how to surf.” They also try to get up to Newport, Rhode Island each summer. “It’s the perfect place,” said Katie. “It’s beautiful but you don’t need to take a plane to get there. We’d love to retire there!” For now, the McGlades are happy here in Broomall.

I always knew it was a great place,” said Katie. “Now, after living here for almost 10 years and seeing how the community supports each other, it really feels like home!

Do you know a Broomall family, individual or nonprofit group who should become known by our community? Make your nominations for upcoming feature articles by emailing your ideas to Holly Stupak at HStupak@BestVersionMedia.com.

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