Foregoing a steady paycheck, Mark immediately chased the American dream and started his own business. He has been self-employed ever since. Mark is currently a commercial real estate broker. The vast majority of his clients are small business owners. He has directly witnessed the negative effects of Illinois' hostile business environment. "I have lost track of the number of clients that have talked about expanding or have expanded out of state because of Illinois' poor business environment." Mark added, "We have high property taxes, high worker's compensation rates, high gas taxes, high sales taxes, and high business taxes. All that has lead to high unemployment." As a small business owner and consultant, Mark understands how to save money and make organizations run more efficiently. As a citizen, he has exposed waste and inefficiencies of local government bodies. He worked to provide alternative solutions that are not only more cost-effective but also improve government services. The good news is that Illinois has the ingredients needed for success. "We are a resource rich state that is strategically located in the center of the country. We have more river, rail, and road than any state in the area. Few states can match our manufacturing and agriculture capabilities. The only element needed to bring Illinois back is strong leadership. I intend to provide that." A resident of Plainfield, Mark is married with five children.
