He was honored by the Society of Professional Journalists in 2006 for his series of reports from the front line of battle in Iraq while embedded with a group of Tampa Bay Area Army Reservists[6] and has multiple Emmy awards from the Suncoast Chapter of the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences winning Emmys for his live and social media reporting from the Alabama tornadoes of 2011[7] and for a story on damaged iPhone screens in 2013.
[8] A graduate of Florida State University, Mark worked at WNCN in Raleigh, NC in the mid 1990s and served as a regional correspondent for NBC.
Mark has written and recorded several tracks for independent films and usually auctions off some of his custom guitars at Wilson Van benefit concerts and other community events.
[14] The Wilson Van have since played charity shows for Academy Prep at 3 Daughters Brewing in St. Pete August 16, 2014, at Club Detroit in May 2013 raising money for the Gold Shield Foundation that provides scholarships for families of fallen first responders and at the State Theater in St. Pete in May 2012 raising money for Southeastern Guide Dogs' Paws for Patriots program that provides guide dogs to blind or injured veterans.
[15] Also in 2012, Mark accompanied his brother Patrick on stage at the Gershwin Theatre performing Sammy Hagar's "Eagles Fly" for the Broadway Blows Back benefit for victims of Hurricane Sandy.