Mark is Founder / Director of the Ohio Economic Development Institute, the professional development program for economic developers, with 30+ years of economic development experience in the private, nonprofit, local, state and federal governmental levels. He currently teaches in the John Glenn College at The Ohio State University. His career has included Director of Development for Mayor Michael B. Coleman, Chief Economic Development Officer for the State of Ohio, along with service on for three Governors and on Capitol Hill. Mark’s work has included a wide range of support for the arts, including economic impact research on nonprofit theater, financing of historic theater revitalization, and serving on the Board of Director for CATCO in Columbus. Mark has been a musical theatre fanatic since his days in the chorus and stage crews in his hometown of Madison, Wisconsin. His high school theater work earned mark the National Thespian designation. He is a graduate of the University of Wisconsin – Madison with a degree in Political Science. He lives in Bexley, Ohio with his wife, Mary Cartter Barbash, and his theatre-going partner daughter Rachael Barbash.