Mr. Mark Hillis

Mark earned his BS degree in Business Administration majoring in Finance at FSU in 1964. He is a retired major in the Marine Corps, and retired from SunTrust Bank in Atlanta as a First Vice President in 2002. While living in Atlanta he received a Juris Doctor Degree from the Woodrow Wilson College of Law in 1997.

Mark served on the FSU Board of Trustees for 10 years, including serving as the Vice Chair and chairing 4 different committees during his tenure. He has served on the following FSU boards. The Foundation Board of Trustees, the Alumni Association Board of Directors, the College of Business Board of Governors, the College of Business Real Estate Executive Board, and the Seminole Boosters Board of Directors.

Mark has received a number of FSU recognitions including the Alumni Association Circle of Gold award, the Alumni Association Emeritus Alumni Society Commitment to Excellence Award, the College of Business Hall of Fame award, the inaugural Distinguished Greek Life of Hall of Fame award, the College of Business Real Estate Network award, the Faculty Senate Mores Torch award, and the College of Nursing Dean’s Award for Outstanding Contributions to Nursing.

Mark and Nan have established 9 FSU student endowments, 1 professorship, an endowed scholarship for first-generation students with low income enrolled in the Center for Academic Retention and Enhancement (CARE), as well as endowed a FSU Library Fund for Special Collections. Additionally, they have donated to the FSU Alumni Center, Herbert Wertheim FSU College of Business, FSU Student Union, FSU Veterans Legacy Complex, Dr. Jai’s Explorer Fund for first-generation students, and the FSU Dunlap Football Center.

In addition to Mark’s aforementioned FSU activities, he currently serves on the FSU Undergraduate Studies Development Council, the Big Bend Hospice Foundation Board of Trustees, the Southern Scholarship Foundation Capital Campaign Leadership Committee, and the Truist (formerly SunTrust) North Florida Advisory Board.

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

CPC International, 1964-1966

  • Salesman, Best Foods Division

U.S. Marine Corps, 1966-1986

  • Major

SunTrust Bank, Atlanta, GA, 1969-2002

  • First Vice President, Real Estate Finance

 

FLORIDA STATE UNIVERSITY

  • Bachelor of Science in Business Administration Degree, Finance Major (1964)

  • Board of Trustees (2010 - 2020)

  • College of Business Board of Governors (1989 - 2015)

  • Foundation Board of Trustees (1995 - 2008)

  • Executive Board of Directors of the College of Business Real Estate Center (2003 - present)

  • College of Business Past President’s Council (2015 - present)

  • Seminole Boosters Board of Directors (2020 - present)

  • Alumni Association Ambassadors (2014 - present)

  • Raise the Torch National Capital Campaign Committee (2013 - 2018)

  • Undergraduate Studies Development Council (2012 - present)

  • Graduate School Advancement Council (2012 - 2014)

  • Veterans Advancement Council (2012 - present)

  • Alumni Association Steering Committee (2009)

  • Alumni Association Development Committee (2004 - 2008)

  • Alumni Association Board of Directors (1993 - 2002)

  • Chair, Georgia Florida State University Capital Campaign Committee (1992 - 1997)

  • Libraries Advancement Board (2017 - present)

  • University Strategic Planning Committee (2016 - 2017)

  • University Strategic Plan Implementation Committee (2017 - 2020)

  • University Branding Committee (2017 - 2020)

  • College of Business Charles A. Bruning Distinguished Speaker (1998)

 

RECOGNITION ORGANIZATIONS

  • FSU Alumni Association Lifetime Member

  • FSU Emeritus Alumni Society

  • FSU Seminole Boosters Member

  • FSU Francis Eppes Society

  • FSU James D. Westcott Society

  • FSU Custodes Lampadis Society

  • Seminole Boosters MICCO Society

  • FSU Vires, Artes, Mores, Sapphire Society

 

FLORIDA STATE UNIVERSITY CONTRIBUTIONS

  • Funded a naming gift to the new FSU Football Operations Center (2021)

  • Established the Mark and Nan Casper Hillis Endowed Fund for Student Veterans (2017)

  • Funded a deferred charitable gift annuity to establish the Mark and Nancy Casper Hillis Professorship in Real Estate in the Florida State University College of Business (2015)

  • Funded a deferred charitable gift annuity to establish the Nancy Casper Hillis and Mark Hillis Endowed Scholarship for Women's Softball and Women's Basketball (2015)

  • Established the Nancy Casper Hillis and Mark Hillis Endowment for Undergraduate Research in the Florida State University Division of Undergraduate Studies (2015)

  • Donated real estate to FSU to support construction of the new College of Business Building, Legacy Hall, and the Veterans Legacy Complex (2012)

  • Established the Mark and Nancy Casper Hillis Endowed Scholarship for Football (2010)

  • Established the Mark and Nancy C. Hillis Endowed Fund for Real Estate in the FSU College of Business (2004)

  • Established the Mark and Nancy Casper Hillis Dining Room at FSU Alumni Center (2000)

  • Established the Nancy Casper Hillis and Mark Hillis Endowed Fund for Finance in the FSU College of Business (1988)

 

OTHER CIVIC AND PHILANTHROPIC ACTIVITIES

  • Big Bend Hospice Foundation Board of Trustees (2020 - present)
  • Tallahassee Truist Community Board of Advisors (2020 - present)
  • SunTrust Florida Panhandle Regional Advisory Board of Directors (2016 – 2019)
  • Board of Directors Southern Scholarship Foundation (2006 - 2009)
  • The Council on Culture & Arts for Tallahassee/Leon County (2004 - 2006)
  • Community Advancement Board of the Hospice of the Comforter for Orange, Seminole and Osceola Counties
  • Hospice of the Comforter Board of Directors for Orange, Seminole, and Osceola Counties
  • Leadership Georgia
  • Metropolitan Atlanta Chamber of Commerce
  • Marine Corps Reserve Association and the Military Association Officers of America

 

AWARDS

  • FSU Alumni Association Emeritus Alumni Society Commitment to Excellence Award (2018)

  • FSU Faculty Senate Mores Torch Award symbolizing respect for customs, character and tradition in recognition of Nan and my commitment of time, talent, and financial commitment to the university (2018)

  • Southern Scholarship Foundation Emeritus Member of the Board of Directors. Elected (2017)

  • FSU Real Estate Network Award in recognition of Nan and my generous contributions to the FSU Real Estate Program (2017)

  • Theta Chi Fraternity Citation of Honor for Outstanding Service (2015)

  • Theta Chi Fraternity David E. Devol Award for Exemplary Service (2014)

  • FSU College of Business Hall of Fame (2011)

  • Theta Chi Fraternity Gamma Rho Chapter Award for Meritorious Service (2011)

  • FSU Alumni Association Circle of Gold Award which recognizes worthy individuals who through their service and achievements personify the university’s tradition of excellence (1996)