Mark Grantor

Director of Marketing and Communications

2022 – 2025

At Saltchuk Marine, I led strategic initiatives to expand brand reach, deepen audience engagement, and create a unified, consistent and impactful brand identity. Led culture transformation initiatives that unified marketing, communications, and brand strategies across a global and diverse enterprise, enabling employees to see their role in the organization's success.

Partnered closely with Commercial Sales to align on priorities, enabled them to meet their business objectives and regularly review performance. I demonstrated success in managing internal teams, agencies, consultants, and vendors to achieve measurable results across earned and paid media, social media, speaking engagements and other communications channels. By fostering a data-driven culture, I drove strategic decision-making to maximize impact.

Through storytelling, marketing strategy, and strong leadership, I directed Saltchuk Marine’s brand presence to drive meaningful connections to support M&A, go-to-market launch of Foss Offshore Wind and New Bedford Foss Marine Terminal within the offshore wind market, corporate and executive communications, and B2B marketing. Led the strategy, planning, and execution of industry tradeshows, conferences, and corporate events to maximize visibility and return on investment.

In close collaboration with the company’s executive leadership and giving committee, we aligned community engagement initiatives, strengthening our social impact. I also built and led a high-performing team across Communications, PR, Brand, and Creative functions—championing safety, collaboration, innovation, and employee growth while bridging connections between front line employees (mariners) and shoreside personnel.

Director of Marketing and Communications

2020 – 2022

Led marketing and communications strategy for Foss Maritime, a company with a remarkable history in the Pacific Northwest founded in 1889. My work focused on storytelling to highlight Foss's extensive services, including global special projects and ship assists in all major ports on the U.S. West Coast, East Coast, Alaska, Hawaii, and the Gulf Coast and reinforce the "Always Safe. Always Ready." culture.

In this role, I collaborated closely with the commercial sales team to align priorities and drive business growth. I led a team focused on building market awareness and momentum through a variety of platforms. Demonstrated cross-functional leadership, aligning teams across geographies and disciplines while ensuring marketing content and messaging were relevant, impactful, and optimized for each audience touchpoint.

Developed and executed an integrated marketing and communications strategy that elevated the company's brand, market presence, and competitive positioning. I amplified digital and social reach through innovative content and targeted messaging to grow online audiences and engage with customers, vendors and partners. Our efforts directly contributed to meeting business objectives by providing maritime solutions to our customers while instilling pride in crew members throughout the fleet.

Event Director, Base 2 Space

2014 – 2020

Negotiated deal with Space Needle Foundation to select Fred Hutch as the beneficiary for the annual Base 2 Space stair climb at the Space Needle. Partnered with Space Needle staff and cross-departmental staff within Fred Hutch to direct and lead a 360-degree activation plan across media, digital, social and PR to drive awareness and participant registration. Lead regular situational meetings with multiple internal and external vendors, including city and state agencies, to ensure public safety, flawless event production and execution.

100% of all donations goes directly to lifesaving research at Fred Hutch. In five years, 8,000+ climbers participated in Base 2 Space and raised $3.2 million for cancer research at Fred Hutch.

Director, Community Partner Events

2017 – 2020

I spearheaded and executed community events and strategic partnerships at Fred Hutch, significantly boosting engagement and fundraising for cancer research. By developing innovative, brand-aligned marketing strategies, I successfully connected with new donor markets and cultivated a wide network of supporters. These efforts resulted in successful collaborations with key partners, expanding our reach and enhancing our brand presence within the community.

Sr. Manager, Community Partner Events

2017 – 2018

Driving the development and execution of Fred Hutch’s Community Partner Event strategy, in partnership with Philanthropy, Communications and Marketing teams. Primary focus is to raise revenue and awareness for Fred Hutch through the partnership, creation, management, and stewardship of community partner fundraising events such as the iconic Base 2 Space stair climb at the Space Needle, Slayride Banked Slalom at Stevens Pass and Dance For A Cure.

Strategic Alliances and Operations, Obliteride

2012 – 2017

Obliteride is about connection – to each other, to a cure, and to our collective spirit of relentlessness. It’s a community where we can use our dollars and our willpower to support Fred Hutch in their mission to end cancer through the highest standard of research.

During the first five years, our start-up Obliteride team created an iconic brand and raised $20+ million for cancer research at Fred Hutch while energizing thousands in our community to pedal to save lives faster. Through live, in-person community engagement we rallied sponsors, foundations, corporate teams, friends and families to share in our mission to end cancer. Obliteride has grown into a nationally recognized fundraising event.

Principal/Owner

2005 – 2017

With a focus on driving results in the sports and corporate events industry, I successfully led initiatives that enhanced brand visibility and engagement. My collaboration with Westfield Partnership Marketing resulted in impactful on-site activations for multi-million dollar projects, significantly boosting brand presence across various markets.

Directed the annual Courage Classic Bicycle Tour, a 3-day cycling fundraising event over 3 mountain passes. Oversaw production, operations, logistics to ensure a safe and premium participant experience. Delivered strategic marketing, contract negotiation and vendor management to ensure cost efficiency and fundraising ease to continually drive revenue for beneficiary, Mary Bridge Children's Hospital.

Principal

2010 – 2012

Provided ”in-house” creative and developmental solutions without complex overhead for corporations forced to contract experiential marketing needs amidst economic downturn.

Outsource Creative stepped in to offer real solutions for consumer lifestyle corporations marketing needs. We solved retail shelf space issues, devised and executed a multi-faceted product launch and managed shoes on the street campaigns.

Bachelor's degree

University of the Pacific