Mark has spent the past several months traveling around Iowa and speaking about restoring our public schools to the best in the nation. During this time, a growing group of supporters has encouraged him to run for U.S. Senate. “I am extremely honored that fellow Iowans believe I am the type of leader who could effectively represent our state,” said Mark. Building on this feedback from people across the state, Mark decided to launch an Exploratory Committee to formally consider running for Senate.
“My leadership style is grounded in Iowa core values, common sense business principles, and the belief that listening is the foundation of building consensus,” said Mark. “I look forward to talking and listening to folks around the state about how this approach could be applied to the serious issues we face as a nation.”
He continued, “It is clear that our country is on the wrong track, and we need fresh perspective in Washington. From what I’ve already heard, there is strong interest in electing leaders with real-life business experience and sound conservative principles to get things done.”
A life-long Republican, Mark founded Reaching Higher Iowa, an organization advocating to improve public education. Among many priorities, he has discussed the need for accountability in our public schools. Mark previously served as CEO of Reliant Energy, a Fortune 500 electric power company. During his time at Reliant Energy, he played an integral role in the turnaround of the company.
Mark graduated from Roosevelt High School in Des Moines in 1980. He holds a bachelor’s degree from Southern Methodist University and an MBA from Northwestern University. Mark and his wife, Janet, have three children: Clark, Christy, and Sam. The family resides in West Des Moines.