Mark is the Capitol Bureau Chief covering the Illinois statehouse in Springfield and the host and moderator of Capitol Connection, the weekly political program airing on sister stations all across the Land of Lincoln. 

Mark’s first job was as a newspaper boy for the Hammond Times in Northwest Indiana at age 8, delivering the news to the doorstep of his neighbors. Now, more than two decades later, it is his privilege to deliver the news to your living room. And this time, he won’t even come to your house to collect on the weekends. 

Mark anchored the 5pm, 6pm and 10pm news desk for WHDT World News for nearly 3 years. During that time, he developed a particular interest in local, state and national politics as he interviewed politicians and candidates for the offices of mayor, town council, county sheriff, U.S. Senate, House of Representatives, and campaign advisors to several Presidential campaigns in the 2016 election. 

Between throwing papers at your door and pressing politicians on the air, Mark also worked in the medical and real estate fields as he worked to pay his way through college. Mark worked in doctor’s offices during the rollout of the Affordable Care Act, and he worked on foreclosed properties owned and repossessed by mortgage banks in the aftermath of the housing crash. These are perhaps two of the most seismic events of the last decade that have shaped our national politics and defined our domestic economy for years to come. Those experiences illustrated the real life consequences of elections, and the long term impact our politicians can make on all of our lives. To this day, these unique experiences provide a broad perspective that inform Mark’s reporting. 

Mark is an award-winning graduate of the Illinois Center for Broadcasting in the Class of 2014 and a graduate of Hyles-Anderson College with his Bachelor’s degree in the Class of 2010. 

When he’s not at work, Mark enjoys spending time with his wife Mary and his dog Russell, playing the guitar, grilling red meat or reading one of his many leather-bound books.