David Trone graduated Phi Beta Kappa with a Bachelor of Arts degree from Furman in 1977 and earned his Master of Business Administration from the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania in 1985. He is the founder and owner of Total Wine & More, a company he started in 1984. The company operates 225 wine superstores in 27 states with over 10,000 employees and is the largest independent retailer of wine, spirits, and beer in the country.

In addition to serving as a member of the Furman Board of Trustees, David serves on the Wharton Graduate Executive Board at the University of Pennsylvania and the American University Board of Trustees.

David served in the U.S. House of Representatives from 2019 to 2025, representing Maryland's 6th congressional district.

David and his wife, June, have four children, one of whom graduated from Furman in 2012.