Other notable accomplishments during Tom’s tenure included the 1992 congressional renaming of the National Lakeshore’s visitor center to the “Dorothy Buell Memorial Visitor Center,” honoring Save the Dunes founder and first president, Dorothy Buell. Tom also guided the merger of the Save the Dunes Council and the Save the Dunes Conservation Fund, uniting advocacy and conservation efforts under one organization — two essential functions that continue to drive the work of Save the Dunes today. Tom also facilitated the transfer of the historic Barker House in Michigan City from The Nature Conservancy to Save the Dunes as its permanent headquarters. The building was later placed on the National Register of Historic Places and continues to serve as Save the Dunes’ headquarters and as a conservation hub for Northwest Indiana.

In 1998, Tom received Save the Dunes’ highest honor, the Paul H. Douglas Memorial Award, presented to individuals for outstanding service to the preservation and protection of the Indiana dunes. Even in later years, Tom remained deeply engaged with Save the Dunes, regularly attending annual membership meetings, events, and sharing his wisdom and lessons learned with the staff and volunteers carrying the mission forward today.

We join Tom’s family and friends in mourning the loss of a person whose passion and dedication profoundly shaped both our organization and the Indiana Dunes themselves. We are grateful to have known Tom and eternally thankful for the legacy he leaves behind in the landscapes he helped protect for generations to come.

 A celebration of life will be held in Tom’s honor on May 17th, 2026 from 2-4pm CT at the Marquette Park Aquatorium 6918 Oak Ave. Gary, Indiana 46403. Those interested in sharing words of sympathy and memories of Tom can do so at: https://www.burnsfuneral.com/obituaries/thomas-serynek/#!/Obituary