Thom was born in Maple Creek, Saskatchewan and spent most of his school years in Picture Butte, Alberta. He moved to Vancouver to attend UBC in 1951. He graduated with his B.Comm. in 1956 and remained close with his graduating class. Gordon was a member of the Sigma Chi Fraternity.

Gordon married Helen in the fall of 1956 and moved to Northern BC to start his work with Imperial Oil. In 1958, he attended the University of Maryland to obtain his MBA and then returned to work for Imperial Oil. He and Helen returned to Vancouver in the spring of 1959. In 1962, he started a new path and began working for the UBC Alumni Association, where he worked from 1962 to 1966. He also began his M.Ed. at night at UBC and completed it in 1971.

He and his family had settled into Dunbar when he began his long and cherished career at the British Columbia Institute of Technology (BCIT). He joined as Vice-Principal of Continuing Education, holding that role from 1966 to 1974 and became President in 1974, continuing in that role until 1985. He was very proud of the designated title of President Emeritus, which was granted to him by the Board of Governors in 1985.

From 1987 until his retirement in 1999, Gordon worked with the Sterling Group and Clifford Group. Gordon served on the UBC Senate from 1972–81 and 1987–1993, acted as the President of the Association of Canadian Community Colleges 1980–81, and Vice– Chair of the Vancouver Board of Trade from 1985–86.