MEET THE TEAM
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Mark Pickett joins Czero as director of business development
August 2017
Mark Pickett has always embraced a non-linear career. As a chemical engineering student at Michigan State with a full load, Mark joined the football team as a walk-on. During college R&D co-ops Mark found that working with people was almost as demanding as engineering. “My chemical engineering degree was tough, but dealing with people was really challenging and exciting,” says Mark. “I used to spend a lot of time with applications engineers. I thought it interesting how they worked the two together—people and technology.”
It just so happens that opportunities in engineering often translated directly into sales roles. I realized I was able to help customers solve technical problems with a commercial solution.
Over his career, Mark has worked to bring technical solutions to customers in energy conversion and storage as well as synthetic fibers for bulletproof applications. There, the cutting edge of technology was at the front line of police and military work, where Mark learned ballistics and weapons from the inside in order to really understand field applications. He spent plenty of time learning to shoot. “Providing lifesaving equipment to people who serve is hugely important to me. It drives me to get up early, stay up late.”
Over the course of 22 years, Mark has served as VP of sales for Point Blank Enterprises (protective solutions for police and military), VP of sales and marketing for AAR Mobility Systems (mobile field shelters), and president of the Phoenix Protective Group (security enforcement) among others.
He comes to Czero from the company St. Gobain – North America, where he served as worldwide sales director in structural ceramics and armor. Like his new counterparts at Czero, Mark seeks work that uses engineering to solve real-world challenges. The diversity of projects keeps him moving, learning and constantly challenged. Right up his alley, and ours.
Mark receives many nods from clients in the industries in which he’s worked, recognizing his high level of professionalism, his creative approaches to effective tech solutions, his habits of tenacity and hard work. We are very excited about Mark’s presence on the Czero team as our Director of Business Development.