Keynote+2015

||  **KEYNOTE SPEAKER ** **21ST Century Skills Forum ** **January 15, 2015 ** **University of Colorado Colorado Springs **

**Entrepreneurship! **   **It’s Everywhere! ** ||       ||

**“The People who know How, will always work for the People who know Why” ** The brief Keynote will touch on the Entrepreneurial Mindset and how this mindset can be valuable in every situation. Mark will touch on personal experiences as well as 8 life lessons uncovered of an unlikely entrepreneur.

Mark learned from a young age that if “it was meant to be, it was up to me”, and authored a book titled, The People Who Know How, will always work for the People Who Know Why. Mark stresses to find your passion, what excites you, and continue to seek as much knowledge as possible to make your goals and dreams your own reality. We all have the opportunity to choose where we are going by defining who we are, what we do, and how we react to things. Be positive, stay focused, and don’t let anyone tell you that you can’t do it. “One hundred years from now it will not matter what size house you lived in, the kind of car you drove, or how much money is your bank account. But the world will be different because you were important in the life of one child.”

What Mark Intends to Speak About-
 * Everyday Mark is P.R.O.U.D. to go to W.O.R.K..
 * He is Passionate about what he does,
 * He is Resourceful in getting things done,
 * His Optimism carries him through,
 * He is Unique in his delivery, and
 * His Determination to get things done is second to none.
 * W.O.R.K. is not just a four letter word to Mark, it is an ethic that is practiced, developed and reflected upon every day.
 * Wake up energized and refreshed,
 * get Organized for the day,
 * build Relationships, and
 * Continue to seek Knowledge.

BACKGROUND Mark Bittle is the Market Development Manager for CenturyLink of Southeastern Colorado. Prior to joining CenturyLink in May of 2011 Bittle founded Progressive Impact, a company that specialized in developing people and the organizations in which they work. His experience in developing teams and the strategies to accomplish mutual goals has been recognized nationally; along with his remarkable accomplishments in twenty-three unrelated industries.

Bittle brings his entrepreneurial passion to his job as the Market Development Manager for CenturyLink, the third largest telecommunications company in the United States. He serves as the company spokesperson, media relations, community relations, and strategist for Southern and Western Colorado.

Bittle also volunteers his expertise for many organizations in the Pikes Peak Region. His passion for working with others while offering his experience and dedication to help others grow has been noticed by those who surround him.

Bittle, an Iowa native, moved to Colorado Springs in September of 2008 after founding several financial firms, which led him to become the president of the Iowa Association of Mortgage Brokers in 2006-07. During his 18-month tenure he led the effort in quadrupling the membership. He was named to the Colorado Springs Business Journal’s 2011 40 under 40 Rising Stars, the Iowa Mortgage Broker of the year in 2007, and nominated to be the 2006 Iowa Man of the Year.

Bittle graduated cum laude with a bachelor’s degree in communications, with certifications in leadership and conflict management from Denver’s Regis University. He is an avid soccer player.