Colonel (Retired) Mark Gardner is the founder and owner of Colonel Handyman and has always liked DIY.  He was taught at a young age by his dad to do so. He can fix most anything other than HVAC systems, gutters and roofs. Mark is moving toward semi-retirement and started this small business to keep busy doing what he loves, fixing things and helping people.

 

Mark has had a long career in logistics and supply chain and spent nearly 36 years leading and managing international logistics organizations within the defense and commercial sector. He served as a career Regular Army officer culminating at the grade of Colonel. Previously Mark was a Supply Chain Advisor in Business Development with MSC Industrial Supply, which is one of the largest industrial supply distributors in the world. Mark has also held the roles of Director of Capture Management and Business Development and then as Director of Operations for Final Mile Logistics in Atlanta, Georgia. In these positions, he led business development efforts, government contract capture, as well as developing and managing the business opportunity pipeline. Mark negotiated venture strategies to partner with other government contractors and then developed and submitted proposals resulting in several multi-million dollar contract awards. As Director of Operations, he led all operations programs, contingency operations, and strategy for Final Mile Logistics. This included negotiating transportation, warehousing, and import/export rates and services globally and developing risk management programs to ensure supply continuity.

 

Previous to his roles in the commercial sector, Mark served as a career Regular Army Officer in the logistics field. As a junior and mid-grade officer, he held multiple command, leadership and staff roles in various units providing supply chain, fleet maintenance, and transportation services to the U.S. Army. From 1999-2001 Mark commanded the 561st Corps Support Battalion at Fort Campbell, Kentucky. This 500-Soldier battalion provided supply chain, ground and aviation fuel, and fleet maintenance services to the 101st Airborne Division and 5th Special Forces Group. The 101st Airborne Division Commanding General recognized Mark for his outstanding leadership as one of the top six of 37 battalion commanders in the division. One month prior to 9/11 Mark was assigned to United States Central Command, which is the top-level U.S. military headquarters for the Middle East, where he served and deployed as a war planner. He was one of the authors of the top-secret strategic war plans for the initial attacks into both Afghanistan and Iraq that were both personally approved by the Secretary of Defense. Mark also commanded the 501st Sustainment Brigade headquartered at Camp Carroll, South Korea, a 3,500 Soldier brigade with seven subordinate battalions which provided all logistic and military police support to the U.S. Army forces in South Korea. After brigade command, he served from 2008 to early 2011 as the Executive Officer for the Deputy Commanding General (3-Stars), U.S. Army Forces Command at Fort McPherson, Georgia. In his final assignment to complete 30 years of service, Mark was the State Inspector General for the 13,800 Soldiers and Airmen of the Georgia National Guard.

 

Mark received his Bachelor of Science in Physics from the University of North Georgia, his Master of Arts in Management from Webster University, and his Master of Strategic Studies from the U.S. Army War College. He is a graduate of the U.S. Army Airborne School, U.S. Army Air Assault School, and the U.S. Army Command and General Staff College. Mark's awards and decorations include the Legion of Merit with Oak Leaf Cluster, Defense Meritorious Service Medal, Meritorious Service Medal with six Oak Leaf Clusters, Joint Service Commendation Medal, Army Commendation Medal with two Oak Leaf Clusters, Army Achievement Medal, National Defense Service Medal, Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal and Korea Defense Service Medal.

 

Mark is married to the former Devone Crump of Calhoun, Georgia. Devone is an executive in the carpet industry. They have three children.
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