Mark was born and raised in Yadkinville, NC.  He studied business at Surry Community College and at Gardner Webb University.  Mark obtained his insurance license in 1997 and began employment as a salesperson at Ireland Insurance Agency in Yadkinville.  Mark bought the majority stock of Ireland Insurance in 2007.  He has been the owner of the agency since then.

Mark married Brandy Phillips of East Bend in 1998.  They have three children, Madilyn (Maddy), a senior at Appalachian State, Olivia (Liv), a freshman at Appalachian State, and Samuel, a junior at West Forsyth High School.  Mark and Brandy have lived in Winston Salem since 1998.

Mark joined Rotary at the age of 25 for networking purposes but quickly fell in love with the service and fellowship side.  Over the last 22 years of being a Rotarian Mark has had many “Rotary Moments.”  The Rotary moment that sticks out the most to him is how his club in Yadkin County rallied around him and Brandy when their 8-year old daughter Liv was diagnosed with Type One Diabetes in 2011.  The club always participates in the annual JDRF Walk for a Cure and has helped Mark’s family team raise over $100,000 in the last 10 years to help find a cure.

Mark and Brandy were named volunteers of the year by JDRF in 2017.  Ireland Insurance was named Erie Insurance Giving Network Agency of the Year in 2017.

In his free time Mark enjoys writing and playing music.  Playing golf, and his lifelong love of skiing.  He and Brandy also have a mutual love of traveling.