Mark Yontz
With over 16 years of professional experience in marketing, public relations, communications and government relations, Mark has applied his broad-based skills in a number of different industries, including agriculture, manufacturing, insurance, publishing, tourism, state government and non-profit management.
An Iowa native and graduate of the University of Northern Iowa, Mark is a self-professed “Redneck Yuppie” – one who would be comfortable watching NASCAR, listening to Bach or Bon Jovi, washing down hot dogs and nachos with a cold Mountain Dew, reading the Wall Street Journal, dropping-by Starbucks for a latté, and going deer hunting . . . all on the same day!
Also an accomplished writer, Mark has nearly 300 published articles and three ghostwritten books to his name. His award-winning work has appeared in a number of national publications and his next writing goal is a yet-to-be-determined novel with an Iowa-based storyline.
“Quality over quantity” and “It ain’t rocket science” are two key mottos when it comes to his work, especially as it relates to using a fully-integrated, creative approach when incorporating marketing, public relations and communications-related activities into the daily business model – no matter the product, service, company size and/or industry.
Mark has successfully used this business approach working with, and addressing, a wide variety of audiences, both as an employee and a business consultant. He has also taught as an adjunct instructor at four different colleges, as well as developed his own writing and marketing-related course offerings for a number of adult community education programs.
Mark currently resides in Urbandale, Iowa, with his family, where he remains fully-connected to his Central Iowa roots. When he grows-up, though, Mark hopes to be either Iowa’s next governor, a famous artist, a bestselling mystery author, an outdoor adventurer and explorer, a radio talk show host, a CEO of an entrepreneurial company, and/or an arena rock star (without the big hair). Whatever comes first is fine with him!
Mark is a co-instructor for the Essentials of Creativity workshop.
