Mark E. Van Ness is the Chief Executive Officer of Sperry Van Ness which he co-founded in 1987. Sperry Van Ness is one of the leading and fastest growing brands in commercial real estate, with offices in 40 states. Van Ness has been recognized as an innovative leader by Ernst and Young as a finalist in their Entrepreneur of the Year Award.

Mark is very active with mission-based organizations as a leader in Social Enterprise locally and microfinance internationally. He is a Founding Member of the Center for Social Enterprise Advisory Board, the Founder of the Social Enterprise Loan Fund (SELFund), providing loans and venture capital to nonprofit organizations in order to advance their mission-based earned income strategies and the Founder of the Social Enterprise Institute. As part of the Institute he leads the Social Enterprise Institute Leadership Forum, a peer group learning environment comprised of Executive Directors committed to creating a legacy of self-sufficiency. Van Ness is a member of the international YPO Microfinance Action Forum and the Presidents Action Network.