James 'Spider' Marks - Page 1

James A. “Spider” Marks is Cofounder and Principal, Willowdale Services, LLC, a private advisory helping entrepreneurs grow their businesses. Since retiring from the military, where he attained the rank of Major General, General Marks has led other entrepreneurial efforts in education, energy, and primary research. Additionally, he was President and CEO of Global Linguist Solutions, a private company that provided linguistics services to the U.S. military in Iraq and was the largest employer of native Iraqis. He is an on-air national security, military, and intelligence contributor to CNN and an adjunct professor at Georgetown University. He sits on several boards including the Call Of Duty Endowment that assists with veterans’ employment, and the Veterans for National Security Foundation that identifies and prepares veterans for national level political office. General Marks is a member of the Military Intelligence Hall of Fame. <br /> <br /> General Marks spent over 30 years in the United States Army holding every command position from infantry platoon leader to commanding general. He was the senior intelligence officer for Joint Task Force Los Angeles during the LA Riots and served as a strategist on the personal staff of the Chief of Staff of the Army. General Marks was the senior intelligence officer in the Balkans and Korea. He was the senior intelligence officer in combat for the Coalition Land Forces liberation of Iraq, Operation Iraqi Freedom. He culminated his career as the Commanding General of the US Army Intelligence Center and School at Fort Huachuca, Arizona. General Marks has been awarded the Distinguished Service Medal, the Defense Superior Service Medal, Legion of Merit with Oak leaf cluster, Bronze Star, and multiple combat, expeditionary, and service ribbons. He is a Master parachutist authorized to wear Canadian and Korean Airborne wings, Air Assault qualified, and an Honor Graduate of the US Army’s Ranger School.<br /> <br /> General Marks is a 1975 graduate of The United States Military Academy at West Point, NY, where he earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Engineering, and is a 1985 graduate of the University of Virginia, earning a Master of Arts degree in International Affairs. Additionally, he received a Master of Science degree in Theater Operations from the School of Advanced Military Studies, US Army Command and General Staff College, Fort Leavenworth, Kansas in 1990. <br /> <br /> General Marks and his wife, Marty, have three daughters, Bess Mitchell, Maeve Hayes, and Claire and two grandsons.