Sixty Weeks to 60: My Mentor

(44 Weeks)

It has been said that people come into our lives for a reason, a season, or a lifetime. Can it be all three?

The reason. 

In searching for someone to direct a 5k race, the universe sent me Mark. It was January 1998. In my role managing and creating events for Bergen County’s United Way, I was working on resurrecting a fundraiser the organization had done once before – a 5k run on the runway of Teterboro Airport.  The airport was adamant that to proceed I needed to hire a professional race director. I had been running for almost two years and had completed my first marathon the previous fall but knew nothing about what happens behind the scenes.

I reached out to USA Track & Field-New Jersey for recommendations. I spoke to the first person who seemed competent and up to the task. Then I called Mark. He was so enthusiastic about the concept of running a race on an airport runway and just started spitting out all these great ideas, so I immediately hired him. It was everyone’s goal to build this into something that could become an annual event.

The Season.

 It was initially my intention to have Mark teach me how to direct a road race and recruit runners so I could take over the role of race director after a year or two. But Mark and I realized we made good business partners. He managed logistics which freed me up to recruit and manage partners, sponsors, and volunteers.  We made a great team as over the next 7 years we jointly managed what became a very successful fundraising event. It went on for over 20 years, even after both of us moved on. Which I think is a testament to the structure we created together. 

I was the first to step away from Teterboro when I left United Way for another position in 2004. I then hired Mark to direct a 15k race I developed in my role of as the CEO of Gilda’s Club Northern New Jersey. When my fundraising career took me into New York City and away from road race fundraisers in 2009, it was then Mark hired me. To fund my running habit (race entry fees, new shoes and apparel were starting to add up), I began spending a couple weekends a month working events throughout New Jersey as part of the weekend staff for his company On Your Mark Productions (OYMP).

That continued for almost ten years until I moved to Illinois in 2018.  I remember working the Westfield Pizza run for OYMP in July of 2017.  Mark said, “This is your first stop on your farewell tour” being aware of my plan to move after my daughter graduated high school the following year.  Mark was already semi-retired at this point, had moved with his wife to North Carolina, and was flying back to New Jersey on many weekends to continue to manage the events that where near and dear to him. It seemed our season was coming to an end. 

A lifetime. 

By then though, after almost 20 years, Mark and I were truly friends.  He was not only supportive of my career and a welcome voice on the other side of the phone when I needed guidance, he was supportive of me through life’s ups and downs. In the time since Mark and I first met, I had a baby, lost my parents, gained and lost pets and jobs. I was diagnosed with breast cancer. My first husband died. He always lent an ear or a shoulder. 

In Fall 2018, he messaged me to let me know he was going to be in Chicago with Team Reeve, the charity team he coached, and would love to connect for lunch. Over lunch we talked about what he was doing for Team Reeve and I was intrigued. He convinced me that with my similar background: experience in event management, running, and fundraising (yes, Mark because much of it I learned from you!), that was the direction I should go with my career. 

By 2020, I was working with the Chicago Area Runners Association, eventually taking on the responsibility of managing their charity partnerships (they coach 1000s of charity runners each year) and managing their own charity team runners. All the while looking to Mark for guidance. 2020 was the year Mark was diagnosed with ALS. 

I last saw him in 2022 at the Team Reeve pre-New York City Marathon lunch. They honored him as this was to be his last event actively coaching for them and I was glad to be part of it. I last spoke to him in February when I called to tell him Enzo died.  We also shared a love of dogs. I called to wish him a happy birthday three weeks ago. That call wasn’t returned.

On Saturday, July 6, 2024, Mark lost his battle to ALS. 

The line between business colleague and friend blurred as Mark had such an influence on so much of my life. Aside from my career, through the Teterboro Airport 5k and many introductions from Mark, I found so many friends in the New Jersey running community that led to membership and leadership positions in two running clubs.  I also had the honor of being part of so many incredible events – my favorite probably being the River to Sea Relay. There is no doubt that Mark gave me more than I ever gave him.  I will be spending the rest of my lifetime trying to pay it forward. 

Mark was a guest on theCauseCoach podcast in January, 2022. Give it a listen. For more about Mark, read this article.

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