Draft:Mark Cowan (American Executive & Former Government Official)
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Mark D. Cowan is an American executive and former government official[1] who is the Chief Executive Officer of Potomac International Partners[1], a government relations, federal marketing and international market entry company based in Washington, D.C.[2].
Early Life and Education
Raised in Duluth, Minnesota, Cowan studied at the University of Minnesota, which he graduated from with a BA in Political Science in 1971. He then went on to study at The Catholic University of America's Columbus Law School and obtained his JD in 1977.
Career
Federal Government Work and Military Service
In the 1970s and beyond, Cowan served as a captain in the United States Air Force and Minnesota Air National Guard, where he flew in the back seat of the F-101 fighter interceptor[3]. Thereafter Cowan joined the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA)[4], where he served as an operations (case) officer, later being appointed to Assistant Legislative Counsel to the Director of Central Intelligence[3]. As an operations officer, Cowan served abroad as a country desk chief in the CIA's Directorate of Operations.
As a transition, Cowan served as Committee Counsel to the House of Representatives Committee on Standards of Official Conduct (Ethics)[3].
A lifelong Republican, upon the election of Ronald Reagan, he was appointed by the Reagan Administration to be the Deputy Assistant Secretary of Labor for the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA)[5], a politically appointed position. He was later appointed Chief of Staff and Counsellor to Labor Secretary Raymond James Donovan.
During this time, Cowan oversaw the myriad Labor agencies including OSHA, ERISA (the Employee Retirement Income Security Act), MSHA (the Mine Safety and Health Administration), Veterans Affairs and Congressional Affairs among others. IN 1988, Cowan was appointed by President George H. W. Bush. to be the commissioner on the National Commission for Employment Policy[3]. As Commissioner, he oversaw the laws and agencies governing employment and employment policy.
He was then appointed by President George W. Bush to be a member of the President's Council on the 21st Century Work Place[3]. More recently, Cowan was a member of the transition team of President Donald Trump[1].
Private Sector
From 1984-1986, Cowan served as Vice President of Minnesota-based consulting firm Golle & Holmes, where he created and directed the company’s Washington office and managed their federal activities. In 1987, Cowan founded and became the CEO of the Jefferson Group[3] which grew under his stewardship to be the second largest lobbying firm in DC. Cowan sold his shares to partners in 1993 and became Vice Chairman for Cassidy and Associates[3], a public relations firm where he oversaw global business development.
He later founded and served as CEO for The Columbus Group[1], revamping the company from its previous name of Newmeyer Associates and then merged it with sister federal marketing firm IPAC[3].
In 2000 Cowan was recruited as a senior partner at Patton Boggs, LLP, a 500 lawyer AM Law 100 Firm[3]. At Patton Boggs, he created and directed their Business Development Department and oversaw all global business development.
After 12 years at Patton Boggs, Cowan founded Cowan Strategies[3], serving as CEO. Since 2017, Cowan has served as CEO of Potomac International Partners Inc[2]., a multidisciplinary consulting firm aiding both countries and corporations in foreign market entry, Washington representation and business development.
Board Positions
Cowan is on the board of various institutions, including chairman and vice-chairman roles. He serves on Catholic University of America’s Columbus School of Law Board of Visitors, is Vice Chairman of the Board for Indiana University’s Center on Congress, is Chairman of Virginia Military-Institute's International Studies Program Board of Advisors, on the Board of Directors for the Phi Sigma Kappa Foundation and on the Board of the Americans in Wartime Museum[3].
Cowan is on the board of DC Scores, an inner-city soccer and literacy program and serves on the Board of the American Red Cross for the low country of South Carolina[3]. He also served on the Board of Directors of the Major League Soccer team of D.C. United from its inception and during their three championship victories.
Personal Life
Cowan has taught as an Adjunct Professor at the College of Charleston MBA program.
He is a member of Robert Trent Jones Golf Club of Gainesville, Virginia and Bulls Bridge Golf Club of Kent, Connecticut. Additionally, he is a member of the Army and Navy Club of Washington, D.C.
Cowan and his wife, Laura Macomber Cowan, reside in Kent, Connecticut. They have two grown children, Mattie of Mount Vernon, Virginia and Travis of Dallas, Texas.