Mark Owens
Mark Owens, VP of Marketing & Communications, Team NEO & Honorary Consul of Ireland, Ohio
With more than 20 years of experience in marketing and public affairs, Mark Owens has held leadership roles across the retail, insurance, financial services and nonprofit sectors. As Vice President of Marketing at Team NEO, he leads the organization’s marketing strategy, helping position Cleveland and Northeast Ohio for business investment, with a particular focus on international markets, including Ireland and the UK.
In March 2023, Mark was appointed by the Government of Ireland as the first-ever Honorary Consul of Ireland for Ohio. In this role, he works to strengthen economic, business and cultural relationships between Ireland and Ohio, while also providing consular assistance to Irish citizens. His consular office is located in Cleveland’s Playhouse Square district. In August 2026, Mark was reappointed to serve an additional five-year term.
Mark was appointed by Governor Mike DeWine to the inaugural Ohio–Ireland Trade Commission, which he now chairs. He also serves on the Executive Board of Global Cleveland, where he chairs the Marketing Advisory Committee and co-chairs the Sister Cities Committee, and is a member of the Irish Network USA National Executive Committee.
His community involvement includes leadership roles with the Irishtown Bend Park Project, Greater Cleveland Mayo Society and Cleveland Irish American Archives Society. He also serves on the Screening Committee of the Irish American National Hall of Fame.
Previously, Mark chaired the Greater Cleveland Sports Commission Associate Board, served on the board of Ohio City Incorporated and was a trustee of the West Side Irish American Club. Most recently, he served as Chair of the Business Advisory Committee at Cuyahoga Community College.
Originally from Derry City, Ireland, Mark first came to Cleveland through the Study USA scholarship program at John Carroll University and moved permanently to the region in 2001. He holds a degree in Production Management from the University of Manchester and an Executive MBA from South East Technological University (SETU) in Waterford, Ireland.