Sue Marks
People-Focused Serial Entrepreneur, CEO, Board Member, and Strategic Growth Executive
Sue Marks is a leading entrepreneur, board member, investor, and mentor with extensive background in founding and scaling businesses to $350M. A prominent entrepreneur in HR Tech and Services, Sue has experience in a wide variety of industries both in North America and around the world.
Having grown her largest company through 3 private equity transactions, financing growth is a key skill Sue has acquired. As importantly, in her decades-long career, she’s hit all the speedbumps and took these “learning opportunities” to spur greater success. Sue’s key areas of expertise include people, culture, teams, leadership, management, marketing/positioning, branding, sales, and operations.
Professional Highlights:
- Sue founded and led Cielo, the most awarded global HR Outsourcing firm, from its inception through 3 PE transactions. Growing to the mid-9 figures in revenue, the company has over 3,000 employees in offices around the world.
- As founder and CEO of ProStaff, Sue grew the company throughout Wisconsin and sold to a Fortune 500 company.
- Sue has served as a Strategic Advisor, Investor, and Board Member to organizations across a variety of industries including:
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- Cielo (HR and AI-fueled HR Tech)
- Salary.com (HR Tech)
- Wootz Nano (Advanced Materials)
- Shine Fusion (Medical Isotopes and Deep Tech
- Star Canyon Ventures (Investment)
- Claro (AI and Analytics)
- TalVista (AI and Analytics)
- Broadway Exchange (Web3)
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Sue is a mentor/advisor with Creative Destruction Labs (CDL), belongs to Marquette University’s Golden Angel Network, and is certified in AI from the YPO-founded Vjal Institute. She has a keen interest in all things tech.
Sue is an active member of YPO Global One and serves on the YPO Tech Network Board as the Frontier Technology Subnetwork Chair. She is also an active member of CEO and serves on the Tech Future Committee.
In addition to entrepreneurship, theatre is another of Sue’s passions. Sue serves on the Board of the Vineyard Theatre in NYC and is a Tony Award-winning Broadway producer.
Sue lives in Austin, Texas, and New York City with her husband Charlie, and their two dogs, Henry and Coco. In 2021 they became Texas ranch owners with the purchase of over 1,100 acres further west in the Hill Country. Their 3 children have launched their own successful careers and live in New York, Houston, and Milwaukee.