Posted
September 18, 2025
MEN OF HOPE • ALUMNI INTERVIEW
Amid rows of peanut plants, Alex Tomoff ’14 studies the weather—an uncommon responsibility in most careers, but a crucial one in his work to ensure M&M's and Snickers maintain their signature crunch.
“At no point in my career did I ever think I’d be likened to a farmer,” Alex laughs. On a recent work trip, standing in a Georgia peanut field, his coworkers joked that he seemed perfectly at home. “It’s interesting the places you’ll end up if you keep your mind open to new opportunities.”
Today, Alex works as lead meteorologist and commodity manager for Mars, Inc.—the global company known for some of the world’s most beloved treats. From his home office in Toledo, he helps sourcing teams anticipate how climate extremes—droughts, heat waves, hurricanes, floods—might affect the raw ingredients used to make Mars products. “When weather impacts a growing season, it can affect price, quality, and supply,” he explains. “I help assess those risks, so our teams can make informed decisions.”
Alex’s work involves looking at weather and agricultural data from croplands across the country to assess potential impacts on crop conditions. “It’s like when you go in your backyard and look at your garden,” Alex says. “But for me, it’s looking at the whole country—or sometimes, an entire continent.”
Alex takes pride in knowing his work contributes to meaningful change.
He’s part of a team dedicated to building a more sustainable, equitable future for the people behind the crops. Many of the peanuts Mars relies on come from small- and medium-sized farms, and the company is working to lift up those communities—helping stabilize farmer incomes through long-term support programs.
“We’re able to invest in these efforts in ways that give farmers real stability for the future,” Alex explains.
That commitment also drives Mars’s investment in agricultural research, including developing new peanut varieties that can withstand extreme weather. “We’re focused on solving the real challenges farmers face every day,” Alex says. “Weather and climate risks will always be part of farming, so our goal is to ease those pressures and help them build resilience for generations to come.”
Alex’s path to St. Edward High School began as an eighth grader at Saints Joseph and John School in Strongsville. He knew his high school choice would shape his future, and after visiting as an Edsman for a Day, he was convinced.
Once I shadowed St. Ed’s, I definitely knew the school was for me. I just felt welcome and really enjoyed myself. I remember that day very clearly!
In 2012, as St. Edward launched the International Baccalaureate Diploma Program, Alex joined its inaugural class. “IB taught me to think critically, communicate in different ways, and—most importantly—it pushed me to try new things,” he says. One of those new experiences took him all the way to China, an eye-opening trip that left a lasting mark. “Traveling abroad in high school is something many people never get the chance to do, but St. Edward made it possible.” He credits the IB program’s emphasis on inquiry and adaptability with preparing him for the unexpected turns of his career. “That ability to stay flexible and open-minded has been huge,” Alex explains. “I wouldn’t be doing what I do now without it.”
Alex earned a bachelor’s degree in meteorology with a minor in energy, business, and finance from Pennsylvania State University, then a master’s degree in meteorology from University at the Albany, SUNY.
At Penn State, he tutored student-athletes in math, physics, Latin, and chemistry. “It was such a valuable experience—teaching people, building relationships, and sharing what I love.” Looking back, he sees how St. Edward’s environment prepared him to thrive. “It made the transition to college much easier, because I was already used to managing a full schedule and working independently.”
At St. Edward, Alex embraced every opportunity, from joining the Academic Challenge Team—which won a tournament at Case Western Reserve University his senior year—to cheering on the Eagles at the state basketball championship that same day, one of his favorite high school memories.
Alex says the lessons he learned at St. Edward still shape how he approaches life and work. “I truly value my time at St. Ed’s. It’s left a lasting impact on my life.”
His advice for today’s Edsmen is simple but powerful: use every resource, cherish the brotherhood, and stay open to every unexpected opportunity—because you never know where they might lead.