After serving as the executive vice president and chief operating officer for one year, Mark Stornes was promoted to chief executive officer of the Cavaliers/Quicken Loans Arena (C/QLA) on January 1, 2003.
With a wide array of experience in financial and operating roles, Stornes oversees all business and operational aspects of Quicken Loans Arena and the NBA’s Cleveland Cavaliers. Stornes supervises each of C/QLA’s business and operating units, including finance and administration, business development, guest services and building operations. Stornes is the leader of C/QLA’s senior management staff.
Stornes began his career with the Cleveland Cavaliers in 1996 when he served as the senior vice president for finance and administration and chief financial officer. In 1999, Stornes began serving as the Executive Director of Cavaliers Charities (a fund of the Robert R. McCormick Tribune Foundation), the philanthropic arm of the Cavaliers. Stornes took on the title of executive vice president and chief operating officer of C/QLA in 2001.
From 1987 until joining C/QLA, Stornes served in several financial and operating roles – including executive vice president and COO – for TransAmerica Mailings, Inc., a leading direct mail marketing firm. He was responsible for all financial functions and the operations of the company.
Prior to his position with TransAmerica, Stornes was senior auditor for Grant Thornton, one of the world’s largest international public accounting firms, from 1983-1987.
Stornes is a 1983 graduate of Cleveland State University where he earned his B.B.A in Accounting. He is a graduate of the Leadership Cleveland class of 2002 and serves on the board and executive committee of the Cleveland Leadership Center. In addition, he is a member of the 50 Club and is the treasurer of the Downtown Cleveland Alliance. Stornes is also a member of Bluecoats, Inc. a charitable organization that is dedicated to provide financial support and counseling for families of police officers and firefighters who lost their lives in the line of duty. Stornes also serves as Trustee of the Berea Educational Fund Foundation and has served as a past board member of Cleveland Tomorrow. Besides his work related and educational accomplishments, Stornes is very involved in his community having coached over forty teams in the past years.
Lunch Keynote Speaker
Donshon Wilson
East Cleveland City School District
Donshon Wilson is an educator in the East Cleveland City School District. Mr. Wilson is the district's community coordinator and marching band Director, responsible for the district's media relations and community events and outreach. As band Director, Donshon is directly involved with the students and organizes the wildly successful Annual Battle of the Bands. Despite his students' lack of "formal" music training, Donshon continues to lead the students to victories in competitions across the U.S., including a top 10 finish in the National Hi Stepping Marching Band Competition in Atlanta, Georgia. Mr. Wilson has been recognized for his work as an educator in 100 Black Educators/Teachers "A Few Good African American Male Educators" (National Sorority of Phi Delta Kappa - Gamma Rho Chapter), Cleveland Magazine's "Most Interesting People", The Cleveland Plain Dealer's "World Class Cleveland".Mr. Wilson and the Shaw High School Marching Band will be part of the US contingent at the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing.
