Todd C. Tobias

Todd C. Tobias

Founder, president and editorial director of the former INDY MEN'S MAGAZINE, co-author, with his father, of a book on leadership, "Put The Moose On The Table," and a partner and creative director of the media company JTM Media, died on Tuesday, June 26, at St. Vincent Hospital, Indianapolis, following a brief illness. He was 41.

He was born on August 28, 1970, in Indianapolis, one of two children of Randall L. Tobias and Marilyn S. Tobias. Along with his father and sister, Paige Tobias Button, he is survived by his daughter, Ella, his son, Sam, their mother Amy Tobias, his fiancée, Becky Ullyot and several nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his mother.

Todd grew up in Indianapolis and Carmel, Indiana; Lake Forest, Illinois; and Bernardsville, NJ, where he graduated from Bernards High School. He earned an undergraduate degree from West Virginia University and a master's degree in English from Indiana University. In 2007, he was named by The Indianapolis Business Journal as one of their annual "Forty Under 40" honorees.

In addition to "Put The Moose On The Table," he was the author of many articles and essays. One of his most powerful and widely praised essays, entitled "The Prodigal Son Diaries," was written following the 1994 death of his mother, and appeared in the book "Before Their Time." He also authored several other books, including "The Pop Culture Parenting Handbook;" "The Entourage Handbook;" and "The X-Mas Men: An Eclectic Collection of Holiday Essays." He was a passionate collector and expert on the music of Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band.

At the time of his death, he was very excited and optimistic about the prospects for the startup company he had co-founded, JTM Media, a company specializing in the development and production of original content for television and the web.

Visitation will be from 4:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. on Friday, June 29, at the Leppert Mortuary, Nora Chapel , 740 East 86th Street, Indianapolis. Funeral services and burial will be private.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made in honor of Todd to Indy Reads at http://www.indyreads.org or mailed to: Indy Reads, Library Services Center, 2450 N. Meridian St., Indianapolis, IN 46208.