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Mark formed Challenger in early 2004. Prior to formally launching Challenger, he spent two years researching the market and studying the consolidation of the investment banking industry. He identified a distinct market void of middle market investment banks in Texas and its surrounding states and began to move forward with plans for Challenger. Previously, Mark was the Dallas managing director of Donaldson, Lufkin & Jenrette, which subsequently was acquired by Credit Suisse First Boston. Prior to that, he was chief financial officer and vice chairman of Boston Chicken. Before that, he was a managing director and partner with the Dallas based private equity firm of Haas, Wheat & Partners. His investment banking experience also includes positions with Merrill Lynch and Rotan Mosle in Dallas. Mark has a broad range of transaction experience including $2.5 billion of merger and acquisition transactions; $2.3 billion in bank debt, synthetic leases and real estate sale leaseback financings; and $1.9 billion in public market equity and convertibles. He has industry expertise in consumer products, food and retail. Mark has a master of business administration degree in finance and marketing from Southern Methodist University and a bachelor’s degree in commerce from the University of Virginia. | 