As a managing partner with Columbia Group Inc., Mark Vanderkam is a business strategist, marketing communications specialist, author and public speaker with over ten years of experience helping companies achieve aggressive business goals.

Before moving to western Canada in 1999, Mark was based in the geographic region known as Canada's Technology Triangle (Waterloo, Kitchener, and Guelph, Ontario). In that period, he consulted at the most senior level with a wide range of companies, from small owner-led start-ups to billion dollar corporations with thousands of employees.

From 1997 to 1999, Mark was Director, Brand Marketing, for Inscriber Technology Corporation, a fast-growing software company with products focused on the television broadcast industry. Mark was instrumental in helping Inscriber transform itself into a marketing-driven industry leader with customers in more than 110 countries and over 300 VARs in 47 countries around the world. Sales grew by more than 350% in the two years Mark was with the company, and the number of employees grew from twenty-four to over eighty.

In addition to his work with Inscriber, Mark has consulted with a diverse range of clients through his roles as Senior Account Director with Quarry Integrated Communications, one of Canada's largest advertising agencies, and Crosmark Communications, an award-winning ad agency founded by Mark soon after completing his program in Rhetoric and Professional Writing at the University of Waterloo. Through these marketing companies, Mark helped clients such as Manulife Financial, Penad Pension Systems, United Grain Growers, Cyanamid Canada, and Prestolite Wire to develop and implement aggressive marketing programs.

Mark is the author of "The 4-Steps Marketing Planning Workbook" and conducts seminars for business managers including "Technology Marketing: A Strategic Approach" and "The Five Keys to Business Success".

Mark joined Columbia Group in 1999, where he manages a team of marketing executives, researchers, designers, and communications specialists to help a wide range of businesses with everything from raising capital to implementing effective marketing programs. Columbia Group has been in business since 1992 and has consulted with over 500 companies across Canada and internationally.

Mark lives with his wife and young son near the city of Kelowna, British Columbia. Mark is passionate about nature photography and water sports and, together with his wife, is actively involved with local community and church groups. He can be reached via E-mail: mark@cgcanada.com.