An Alumni Spotlight by Jillian Collins
Going from swinging away at the golf industry to buzzing around the digital world with Microsoft, Mark Young ’88 (marketing) has navigated his way through his career with a drive for success.
At Illinois State, Young was on the golf team and an active member in the Sigma Phi Epsilon, a social fraternity. Through academics and his involvement on campus, Young learned a lot about himself and what he wanted to do in the future. With the hard-work mentality his father instilled in him, he was able to focus and follow his passion.
“No one can out work me,” explained Young, “You may be smarter, better politically, etc., but you’re not going to out work me.”
That focus and determination enabled Young to enter the highly competitive sports marketing industry after graduation, which appealed to his dual passions – golf and marketing. During his eight years in the golf industry, Young served as a merchandise manager at Taylormade where he helped 50 customers maximize their Taylormade sales. He also worked in brand management at Mizuno and Wilson focusing on shoes, clubs and clothing.
Young enjoyed his time in the golf industry, but was ready for a change. In 1996, he landed a job at Microsoft in Seattle.
Learn more about Mark Young….
