contact Tamara Finocchiaro at
4 1 7 - 8 6 5 - 1 4 6 4 office
4 1 7 - 8 4 9 - 5 1 8 8 cell
tamara@pythiancastle.com

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My name is Tamara Finocchiaro,
I am the owner of the Pythian Castle,

Background:

I received my Bachelor of Arts degree in Economics from the
University of California, Berkeley in 1987. I spent my junior year at the
London School of Economics specializing in Economic History, a knowledge
and topic, I find of importance at this current time. I strongly felt then and now,
a diversity of experiences and places would broaden and enhance
my knowledge and perceptions.

Immediately, after college I worked as a Financial Analyst specializing in econometrics
at a pension consulting firm, Wilshire Associates. This was interesting especially during the market fall of 1987 and it filled my desire for quantitative knowledge. However, while at Berkeley, I volunteer for a personality study. Most unexpectedly, they saved me for last and determined, I was the most “odd” person in the room when I clearly believed I was the most “normal”. But, apparently, I went off the charts in two contrasting areas analytical and creative. They suggested I be on the business side of a creative field. Advice I decided to follow after a year of actuary studies.

As a result, I enrolled at the Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising while I managed the business end of a kitchen and bath design company I opened withmy mother, the designer. In a short time, we had published works in 3 regional magazines and 3 national magazines such as Better Home and Gardens and Kitchen Concepts. From that experience combined with economic trends, we decided to focus on our own projects rather than customer projects. We turned to renovating historical properties while I worked for product development for fashion department at Broadways stores. Our focus was difficult properties others had passed on.

Concurrently, I began partner dancing for fun and took a particular interest in aerial swing dancing. This interest quickly became a passion and ultimately a profession that I pursued with my twin sister when Broadway Stores closed its doors. It began with lessons and grew to workshops, merchandise and performances. We were known as the Flyin’ Lindy Hoppers and ran an event called Monsters of Swing. We performed around the county from Las Vegas to New York and were featured in numerous print and news media from the Wall Street Journal to MTV. We worked for Ozzy Osborne to Disney. Our logo became the international symbol for swing dancing and is featured as the jackpot on a slot machine in Las Vegas.

While dancing at night and on the weekends, I worked for the school district and renovated properties starting with a Spanish house labeled with a skull and cross bone sign as dangerous followed by a Victorian estate. Was going to renovate a 1940’s movie theater as a banquet facility that would culminate all my skills into one project; construction, performance, event planning, costuming and business management (I believe Bill Gates calls this “connecting the dots”); unfortunately, this property caught fire the day after we received our use permit. This fire required us to research a new facility and, eventually, relocate.

I had made an off-handed comment to my mother, I would like the next project to be a castle and she found this castle in Springfield, Missouri that was perfect for our business plan. This calculated risk and creative concept worked.  We turned a landmark into a place people enjoy history while they make new history.

I have purposely focused on self-sufficiency and earned reward the private sector offers, but have had to work with local government along the way to make things happen. As an economist, dancer and preservationist who has worked with the cities I live in at all levels to meld cultural arts and commerce and who has dealt with all the challenges that come with creating and developing visions, I feel it is time to give back and help others foster their plans.

I have had my “New York moment” and my “fifteen minutes of fame”, now I need
to work for a needed purpose.  We are at a time when everyone is going to have to contribute more and demand less and we all are going to have to work to make sure everyone else is allowed to work and contribute with ease and freedom. We all benefit when we all participate. This is my goal.


As the city discusses all the cuts it will have to make in the coming year, I should remind the citizens, my business has closed by the city as dangerous and has been since November 16, 2007. At this current time, we are unable to contribute to the much needed revenue base of the city or to the local charities. This is most unfortunate and reminds us that cuts and taxes are not the only solution to our problem.