About Mark...

Mark was a very good student and a member of the National Honor Society, but he was not an academic whiz. He was a very good athlete, but he was not a star. He was a happy, engaging, and enthusiastic member of both the varsity golf team and varsity basketball team of Madison High School. He contributed to the success of both teams and even had a few moments in the spotlight.

Mark's golf team was Virginia State Champion three of his four high school years. The team was loaded with All Met caliber talent and dominated the local golf scene. Mark held his own on this historic team, received the coach's award, and served as captain in his senior year.

While Mark was not very tall, five feet nine inches in a stretch, he made the Madison High School basketball team every year. His teammates and friends towered over him, as did the opposition. Many of his teammates were so talented that they eventually won scholarships to play ball in college, among them, Grant Lammarsen at William & Mary, Kevin Wenk at Bucknell, and Brian Holtorf at the University of Richmond. His team faced the likes of Grant Hill. Very tough competition!

Determined to play and far too motivated to sit the bench through the entire game, Mark managed to carve out a place for himself as the sixth or seventh man. With an uncanny knowledge of the intricacies of the game and a deadly, if admittedly inconsistent, three point shot, Mark made himself an important member of the team. What a thrill it was to see his smile when he hit three-pointer after three-pointer to put the team back in the game. Or to see an even bigger smile when he would set himself up as a decoy and pass the ball under the basket to one of the big guys. No question, Mark had his brief moments in the high school sports spotlight and won more than one game for the Madison Warhawks.

Mark was a real competitor. He worked hard to make his high school teams and worked even harder to be a player. He was scrappy, determined and often frustrated his coaches because he would just not give up. He insisted on getting a chance in every game to make a contribution and usually made the most of even the briefest opportunity.

Mark truly loved sports. He loved to play himself and he loved to watch others play. He attended nearly all of Madison's sports functions and was as enthusiastic a fan as he was a player. He loved high school and went off to college with the same happy and hopeful attitude.

At Bucknell University, Mark played golf and enjoyed fraternity life. He met wonderful friends and cherished his time on that beautiful campus. While the weather in that part of Pennsylvania was not conducive to great golf, he persevered. As always, he rolled with the punches and except for the team's annual spring visit to Pinehurst, much to his dismay, they often played college golf against the elements of the Mid-Atlantic and Northeast. None the less, Mark always spoke with enthusiasm and fondness about his team mates and Bucknell golf. He was very proud to serve as captain in his senior year and especially proud to receive the Bucknell watch as a four year letter man.

During his time at Bucknell, Mark managed to make the most of every situation and certainly squeezed every ounce of fun out of his experience. It was during his last year there that he decided, New York was definitely the place for him. He was determined to be a part of the excitement that only the New York business world could offer. After graduation, he accepted a consulting position with Deloitte & Touche in New York. However, in a few short months he realized consulting was not very exciting, especially when they sent you to the suburbs to do it, and he began his search for a real stock market job in a real New York City location. That had always been his dream.

Well, Mark did get a job he found more exciting and it was in a real New York City location in the center of the financial district. And Mark was at that job on September 11, 2001 working as a metals trader for Carr Futures on the 92^nd floor of the World Trade Center.

Previous Home