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Todd Marks
Born1976 (age 47–48)
Syracuse, New York, U.S.
NationalityAmerican
Alma materLoyola University Maryland
Occupation(s)Founder and CEO of Mindgrub Technologies
Children4
WebsiteMindgrub profile

Todd Marks (born in 1976) is an American businessman and computer programmer. He is the founder and CEO of Mindgrub Technologies, an agency with a focus on mobile and web apps, games and digital marketing. Mindgrub has won several awards and is considered a tech market leader, working with clients like Wendy’s, AOL and Yamaha.[1][2][3] Marks was a Baltimore Business Journal honoree of 40 Under 40 and a two-time nominee for the EY Entrepreneur of the Year Award.[4]

Career

Marks was born in Syracuse, New York. He grew up in Howard County, Maryland, graduated high school in Columbia[5] and studied at Loyola College, where he graduated in 1998 with a Bachelors of Science in Math.[6] He taught Math and Computer Science and was an Adobe Flash developer during the dot-com boom of the 1990s.[7] He went into entrepreneurship in 1999, when he helped launch a digital agency. After struggling for several years, he gave up and started working for different companies.[8]

He founded his current company, Mindgrub Technologies, in 2002. The company began in "the greater Oella incubator," as Marks dubbed his basement, where he started working as an independent consultant.[9] When Apple unveiled the iPhone in 2007, Marks decided to focus on that. He hired a full-time employee and quit his job as an IT consultant the next year.[10]

As his company grew, Marks moved his office to Catonsville and finally to Locust Point, where he established a Google-style relaxed office, complete with an event space, a ping pong table and a climbing wall.[3] The opening was attended by Stephanie Rawlings-Blake, the mayor of Baltimore.[9] From 2013 to 2015, the company hired about a dozen people each year,[11] growing to 60 full-time employees.[8][12]

To build his team, Marks recruited computer science interns from the University of Maryland, Baltimore County, where he is adjunct professor of Instructional Technology.[10] He interviewed them while playing Rock Band or Wii Golf together for an hour, deducing their abilities from the way they played.[1] He also employed former Big Huge Games developers when that company went under.[7]

Mindgrub engineers mobile and interactive web apps, integrates social media and gaming. It also develops websites, marketing campaigns and interactive media.[1] Marks expanded Mindgrub by founding two ancillary companies: Mindgrub Games, which uses Mindgrub software in gaming, and viaPlace, which manages augmented reality. Mindgrub has become a tech market leader,[1] working with big clients like Wendy’s, AOL and Yamaha.[3]

In 2015, Marks acquired 4Thought, a web design and online marketing firm.[3] Mindgrub expanded its web management by becoming a Fast Track partner with Pantheon, migrating all of its clients' websites to the platform.[13]

Other activities

Marks has held lectures, tech workshops and public discussions at different venues, such as TEDxBaltimore,[14] the NET/WORK fair,[15][16] South by Southwest, the Emerging Technology Forum (held at Mindgrub),[17] and hosted the Education Technology Innovation Summit.[18]

Marks has written and contributed to several books on Flash and Dreamweaver.[19][20] He sits on the advisory board for Loyola University's MBA program and is vice president of the Chesapeake Regional Tech Council.[21]

Awards and recognition

In 2013, Marks was a Baltimore Business Journal's honoree of 40 Under 40, an award spotlighting the business leaders under the age of 40 who excel in their industry.[4]

He was a two-time nominee for the EY Entrepreneur of the Year Award, in 2013 and 2014.[22] Marks was also named to the Daily Record’s list of Most Admired CEOs, an award identifying Maryland business executives for their accomplishments throughout their career.[23]

His company Mindgrub has won more than 30 awards and prizes for its products, growth and company culture.[2]

References

  1. ^ a b c d Steve Mariotti (7 February 2014). "4 Tips on Starving While Starting Up From Todd Marks". The Huffington Post. Retrieved 25 January 2016.
  2. ^ a b "Company Bio". Mindgrub. Retrieved 25 January 2016.
  3. ^ a b c d Stephen Babcock (24 April 2015). "Why Mindgrub moved into Baltimore, acquired a marketing firm and installed a climbing wall". Technical.ly. Retrieved 25 January 2016.
  4. ^ a b Jaclyn Borowski (November 2013). "Here are our 2013 40 Under 40 honorees". Baltimore Business Journal. Retrieved 25 January 2016.
  5. ^ Penny Riordan (24 May 2012). "In Just a Year, Tech Startup Outgrows Frederick Road Space". Catonsville Patch. Retrieved 25 January 2016.
  6. ^ "Todd Marks". Mindgrub. Retrieved 25 January 2016.
  7. ^ a b Andrew Zaleski (17 September 2012). "Mindgrub Technologies turns attention to mobile, augmented reality gaming with new division". Technical.ly. Retrieved 25 January 2016.
  8. ^ a b Steve Mariotti (10 February 2014). "Starting a company to be with your family. Todd Marks Discusses the Motivators and Hardships When Starting a New Business". The Huffington Post. Retrieved 25 January 2016.
  9. ^ a b Tyler Waldman (5 June 2014). "From basement to Baltimore: Mindgrub celebrates new space". Technical.ly. Retrieved 25 January 2016.
  10. ^ a b Gus G. Sentementes (23 October 2011). "Mobile app economy inspires local entrepreneurs". The Baltimore Sun. Retrieved 25 January 2016.
  11. ^ Natalie Sherman (27 May 2015). "Maryland added 16,400 jobs in April". The Baltimore Sun. Retrieved 25 January 2016.
  12. ^ Tyler Waldman (14 May 2014). "Mindgrub Technologies completes move to Locust Point [Startup Roundup]". Technical.ly. Retrieved 25 January 2016.
  13. ^ "Fast Tracking Mindgrub to Pantheon Perfection". Pantheon. 7 August 2015. Retrieved 25 January 2016.
  14. ^ TEDx Talks (3 July 2011). "Todd Marks at TEDxBaltimore 2011". YouTube. Retrieved 25 January 2016.
  15. ^ Stephen Babcock (20 February 2015). "Here's what happened at NET/WORK Baltimore 2015". Technical.ly. Retrieved 25 January 2016.
  16. ^ Catherine Sontag (16 February 2015). "These 27 Baltimore tech firms are hiring right now [NET/WORK]". Technical.ly. Retrieved 25 January 2016.
  17. ^ Tyler Waldman (2 June 2014). "Geolocation will shape commerce and security: Emerging Tech Forum". Technical.ly. Retrieved 25 January 2016.
  18. ^ Kelly Sheridan (15 July 2013). "Education Tech: What's Trending?". Information Week. Retrieved 25 January 2016.
  19. ^ "Todd Marks". Apress. Retrieved 25 January 2016.
  20. ^ "Todd Marks". Goodreads. Retrieved 25 January 2016.
  21. ^ Tyler Waldman (13 August 2014). "LeadCloud raises $1 million [Startup Roundup]". Technical.ly. Retrieved 25 January 2016.
  22. ^ Christina Royle (1 May 2014). "Ernst & Young announce Mindgrub's Todd Marks as a Finalist for Entrepreneur of the Year". Chesapeake Tech. Retrieved 25 January 2016.
  23. ^ "Todd Marks Named to Most Admired CEOs List by the Daily Record". Mindgrub. September 2013. Retrieved 25 January 2016.
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