JMARK CEO Tom Douglas will give the commencement address at Ozarks Technical Community College’s graduation ceremony on Thursday, May 16, at 5 p.m. Great Southern Bank Arena on the Missouri State University campus is the site for the graduation ceremony.
JMARK is a Springfield-based information technology company with a “People First, Technology Second” philosophy.
“Good people aspire to produce excellent work,” Mr. Douglas said. “Here at JMARK, we believe that the essence of technology lies in its ability to empower individuals toward success.”
A native of Bolivar, Douglas began working at JMARK in 1997 after a stint in the Navy. While working in Navy logistics, Douglas upgraded his ship’s databases and computers to create a better system for managing supplies, which sparked his passion for technology.
After a few years at JMARK, Douglas eventually purchased the company in 2001. At one point, the company employed just six people, but today, it has more than 125 employees serving clients in 43 states. JMARK has been so successful that “Inc. Magazine” named it one of America’s fastest-growing companies nine times.
In 2022, Douglas published the book “Adapt or Die,” asking, “What if small businesses could save the world?” Douglas’s Amazon Bestseller encourages business owners to innovate and embrace change.
This year’s commencement ceremony includes students who completed or will complete their coursework in the following semesters: Summer 2023, Fall 2023, Spring 2024 and Summer 2024.