Mark Hillis

Mark Hillis
Alumni
Email
markhillis64@yahoo.com
Location
Tallahassee, Fla.
Phone
850-524-2035
Education

BS Finance '64

215 West College Ave. 
Unit 1102
Tallahassee, Florida 32301-7758
markhillis64@yahoo.com
850-524-2035

 

PROFESSIONAL SUMMARY

Mark Hillis earned a Bachelor of Science Degree in Business Administration majoring in Finance from Florida State University’s College of Business in 1964 and a Juris Doctor Degree from the Woodrow Wilson College of Law in 1977. Mark, a retired major of the U.S. Marine Corps, served 33 years as first vice president for SunTrust Bank in Atlanta. In 2016, he continued his service by accepting a seat on the SunTrust Bank Florida Panhandle Regional Advisory Board of Directors through 2019. In March 2020 he joined the Tallahassee Truist Community Advisory Board. 

Mark served on the FSU Board of Trustees from 2010 to 2020. He served as the Vice Chair of the Board of Trustees and chaired four committees during his tenure. Mark and his wife, Nan, have established 8 endowed scholarships at FSU for students and 1 professorship in Real Estate in the College of Business. Additionally, they have donated to the FSU Alumni Center, the new College of Business Building, Legacy Hall, the Veterans Legacy Complex, and the new FSU Football Operations Center Building. 

Mark is the recipient of the FSU Alumni Circle of Gold Award, the FSU Alumni Association Emeritus Alumni Society Commitment to Excellence Award, the FSU Faculty Senate Mores Torch Award, the FSU Real Estate Network Award, and is a member of the FSU College of Business Hall of Fame. 

Mark has served on numerous FSU boards including the FSU Foundation Board of Trustees for 14 years, the FSU Alumni Association Board of Directors for 9 years, the FSU College of Business Board of Governors for 26 years, and the FSU College of Business Real Estate Center Executive Board of Directors for 20 years. He currently serves on the FSU Undergraduate Studies Development Council, the FSU Libraries Advancement Board, and the FSU Student Veterans Advancement Council. In 2020 he was elected  to serve as a member of the Seminole Boosters Board of Directors and the Big Bend Hospice Foundation Board of Trustees. 

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

CPC International, 1964-1966

  • Salesman, Best Foods Division

U.S. Marine Corps, 1966-1986

  • Major

Trust Company Bank (SunTrust Bank, now Truist), Atlanta, GA, 1969-2002

  • First Vice President, Real Estate Finance

 

EDUCATION

  • Bachelor of Science in Business Administration Degree, Florida State University, Finance Major (1964)
  • Juris Doctor Degree, Woodrow Wilson College of Law, Atlanta, Georgia (1977)

 

FLORIDA STATE UNIVERSITY ACTIVITIES

  • Board of Trustees (2010 - 2020)
    • Vice Chair
    • Chair, Academic Affairs Committee
    • Chair, Select Committee for Strategic Planning
    • Chair, Finance, Business and Audit Committee
    • Chair, Collective Bargaining Issues Committee
  • College of Business Board of Governors (1989 - 2015)
    • Board Chair (1996 - 1998)
    • Chair, Advancement Committee
  • Foundation Board of Trustees (1995 - 2008)
    • Secretary
    • Chair, Real Estate Committee
    • Chair, Finance Committee
    • Chair, Development Committee
    • Chair, Capital Campaign Executive Committee
  • Executive Board of Directors of the College of Business Real Estate Center (2003 - 2022)
  • College of Business Past President's Council (2015 - present)
  • Seminole Boosters Board of Directors (2020 - present)
  • Alumni Association Ambassadors (2014 - present)
  • Raise the Torch $1 Billion National Capital Campaign Committee (2013 - 2018)
  • Undergraduate Studies Development Council (2012 - present)
  • Graduate School Advancement Council (2012 - 2014)
  • Student Veterans Advancement Council (2012 - present)
  • Alumni Association Steering Committee (2009)
  • Alumni Association Development Committee (2004 - 2008)
  • Alumni Association Board of Directors (1993 - 2002)
    • Treasurer
    • Chair, Advancement Committee
  • 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)

 

THETA CHI FRATERNITY

  • Board of Directors, Foundation Chapter of the Theta Chi Fraternity (2011 - 2019)
    • Secretary
    • Chair, Scholarship Committee

 

RECOGNITION ORGANIZATIONS

  • FSU Alumni Association Legacy Life Member
  • FSU Emeritus Alumni Society
  • Seminole Boosters Member
  • FSU Francis Eppes Society
  • FSU James D. Westcott Society
  • Seminole Boosters Custodes Lampadis Society
  • Seminole Boosters MICCO Society
  • FSU Vires, Artes, Mores, Sapphire Society
  • FSU Presidents Club Scholars Society
  • Seminole Boosters Bowden Society
  • Forever FSU Legacy Donor

 

FLORIDA STATE UNIVERSITY CONTRIBUTIONS

  • Funded the Sam Cowart Pillar of Champions in the Dunlap Champions Club (2023)
  • Established the Mark and Nan Casper Hillis Professional Development Endowment for Excellence in Real Estate (2023)
  • Established the Nan Casper Hillis and Mark Hillis Scholarship Endowment for FSU Delta Delta Delta Sorority and Theta Chi Fraternity (2022)
  • 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)

  • Member, Executive Committee
  • Chair, Investment Committee
  • Emeritus Member

The Council on Culture & Arts for Tallahassee/Leon County (2004 - 2006)

  • Board Member and Treasurer
  • Chair, Ways and Means Committee

Community Advancement Board of the Hospice of the Comforter for Orange, Seminole and Osceola Counties

  • Board Member (2007 - 2009)

Hospice of the Comforter Board of Directors for Orange, Seminole, and Osceola Counties

  • Member (2010)

Leadership Georgia

  • Class of 2000

Metropolitan Atlanta Chamber of Commerce

  • Lifetime Member

Marine Corps Reserve Association and the Military Association Officers of America

  • Lifetime Member

Marine Corps Heritage Foundation

  • Member Semper Fidelis Society

Tallahassee Community College

  • Nan C. Hillis & Mark Hillis Nursing Scholarship
  • Member, President's Circle

 

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)
  • Association of Fundraising Professionals Big Bend Chapter Heart of Gold Award to Mark and Nan Hillis in recognition of their valuable contributions to the FSU Foundation (2015)
  • 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)