Mark D. Steele, P.E. and the Steele family are the sole owners and operators of Craftsmen Industries, Inc. Mark has served as the chief CEO and President of the since 2017 after initially investing in 2016.

Mr. Steele also serves as an adviser and board member to private companies, private equity firms, hedge funds and lenders in operationally challenged environments. Mark works with boards and managers to help companies gain competitive footing to create success while growing rapidly or after facing distress. This includes advancing corporate governance and risk management while supporting the development of executive teams. Mr. Steele has served as CEO/President and board member in more than ten different private equity portfolios. Mark previously served as a company officer responsible for managing the Supply Chain, EHS and Real Estate and related risk management at a $2 Billion multi-national, public company with 50 factories in 16 countries.

Steele is recognized as NACD Board Leadership Fellow, is NACD Directorship Certified™ and earned Cyber Security Oversight credentials from the CERT at Carnegie Mellon. Mark received a B.S. in Mining Engineering from the University of Pittsburgh, a M.S. in Industrial Administration (MBA) from the Carnegie Mellon University Graduate School of Industrial Administration (now the Tepper School). Mr. Steele maintains a Professional Engineer license as a Mechanical Engineer. Mr. Steele has taught Business Strategy and Operations Management at three different universities as an adjunct professor. 

Mark has over 30 years of experience with industry leading manufacturing and distribution environments covering a long list of basic as well as technical product industries. His experience includes navigation of a variety of complex operational, financial and legal challenges while building capable teams. He has also had significant success in advancing environmental, health and safety performance excellence and compliance in public and private company settings.

Mr. Steele has global operational, sourcing, and sales expertise in managing globally distributed enterprises through multiple channels including B2B, wholesale and retail distribution. Mark’s specific operational and advisory experience includes transportation, steel fabrication, building products, adhesives and packaging, electric motors, plastics manufacturing capital equipment, and satellite communications as well as large-scale prescription eyewear manufacturing. Mark’s early career experience included coal mining, oil & gas exploration, steelmaking, chemicals and pulp & paper.

Mark and his wife of more than 40 years, Donna, serve Craftsmen Industries along with Seth, one of their three adult sons. Mark and Donna love the St. Louis region as it feels like a sister city to their family origin city of Pittsburgh. They live in Saint Charles and are fans of big dogs and have rescued and trained Chesapeake Bay Retrievers.