Tony Tinderholt is a father, veteran, and conservative Republican. Tony entered active duty Air Force in 1988 as a Spanish Cryptologic Linguist, taking part in counter drug missions across South and Central America. He later re-entered active duty in January 2002 after the events of September 11th. Tony worked as both a platoon leader and executive officer at the Company level and then as detachment commander for the 11th Armored Cavalry Regiment. Major (R) Tinderholt then ran operations for the largest Recruiting Battalion in the U.S. Army Recruiting Command. His next position was Commander, Fort Worth Recruiting Company in which he was hand chosen by the Brigade Commander for excellence and leadership abilities in his previous position. Upon a very successful tenure as a Commander, Tony volunteered to deploy to a combat zone. During his time in Iraq, Tony and a team of 10 other U.S. Army Soldiers lived with and trained an Iraqi Special Forces Battalion. He then returned to Dallas as a Battalion Executive Officer managing over 400 personnel and a $836 million budget. In his 21 years in the Armed forces, Tony earned many badges, awards and certifications to include the following Combat Awards: the Bronze Star and the Combat Action Badge
In civilian life Tony has been a professor of Spanish at Columbia College in Fort Worth, and currently serves as Director of Training & Recruiting for Eliot Management Group, LLC. Tony has a passion for education in the Dallas/Fort Worth area and across Texas, doing his part to provide opportunities for people of all means to succeed in the workforce. Tony is the proud father to his children Kayley (22) and Nathan (18), and happily married to Bethany Tyler-Tinderholt.
Outside of his professional life, Tony and his wife Bethany, a former Dallas Cowboys Cheerleader, give back to their community, volunteering with Spirit of Hope, providing Christmas to over 180 children from the Boys and Girls Club in Arlington, TX and Catholic Charities in Fort Worth, and also with the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation and St. Jude Medical Center. Tony and his family attend St. Vincent De Paul Catholic Church in Southwest Arlington.
