Born in Charlotte, North Carolina in 1967, Mark Sanders Tampa grew up in an entrepreneurial environment. From an early age, he remembers selling watermelons from a pick-up truck with his grandmother. When the melons weren’t in season, he went door-to-door selling a variety of Stanley products.

At the age of 14 years old, Mark Sanders Tampa serendipitously recognized an opportunity to start an appliance delivery and installation business for Circuit City clientele. Sanders had learned how to repair microwaves and enjoyed spending time at Circuit City to see the latest models and features. He overheard a customer ask the sales representative if they provided installation, and they did not. Sanders offered to help and the client accepted; he arranged for a ride and installed the customer’s microwave, effectively starting a new business.

Without even being old enough to be a licensed driver, Mark Sanders started installing microwaves, dishwashers, stove tops and other appliances for Circuit City customers. He developed a referral system for sales personnel which helped the company grow.

Not long after this, Sanders was leading a group of men who were loading trucks with appliances for delivery and installation, and a man approached, asking, “who is in charge here?”

The 15-year-old Sanders said, “these men work for me.” Standing in amazement, the man offered to help with his banking. The man, named Hugh McCall, founded the North Carolina National Bank (NCNB) which later was changed to Nation’s Bank and is now Bank of America. Mark sold the business back to Circuit City when he was 17 years old.

That same year, Mark Sanders Tampa started a mobile lubrication and maintenance operation called Lube All. Sanders helped create and patent a new mobile oil-change system and franchised his operation, which he later sold to Quaker State.

“I was surrounded by conversations about business from an early age,” he said. “I stopped worrying about paying gas and electric bills a long time ago. Now I’m working for generations I’ll never meet.”

Mark Sanders graduated from South Mecklenberg High School in Charlotte. While attending, he served as President for his school chapter of DECA, formerly known as Distributive Education Clubs of America, as well as President of Junior Achievement.

Mark Sanders from Tampa went on to earn a Bachelor’s degree in Business, Masters in Business Administration and Juris Doctorate degree from the University of North Carolina.

In 1988, Sanders founded Horizon Foods, which later became the direct home delivery arm for Omaha Steaks International. In 12 years, he built Horizon Foods from one truck and one market to a fleet of 428 trucks in 26 markets earning $258 million in annual revenue.

From there, Sanders was asked to serve as President for Big Sky Beef. In 18 months, he helped the company meet USDA standards, constructed corporate-owned processing and packing plants and improved the delivery systems.

During his tenure with Big Sky Beef, Sanders was instrumental in creating a collective cooperative relationship with 10 ranching families in Montana. Through this new relationship, Sanders was able to provide Big Sky Beef a new source for premium beef, while creating new jobs for many of the family and community members.

This work enabled Big Sky Beef to prepare an Initial Public Offering (IPO) and sell shares to investors. Sanders also consulted the grocery-store chain, Winn Dixie, helping it establish a home-delivery business unit. In addition, Sanders helped Meals on Wheels reach customers nationwide.

“Mark saw the vision, took action and brought the team along with him until we accomplished the goal,” said Gary Sample, president of Delivery Concepts and who is the exclusive refrigerated truck manufacturer for both Meals on Wheels and General Motors. “His experience and advice was critical to the success of rolling out this business to consumers across the country.”