Mark McGinnis

Mark McGinnis Profile

Navy SEAL Commander Mark McGinnis applies the elite special operation force’s training and execution techniques to your organization. The highly decorated officer and riveting speaker draws simple yet effective leadership and team building lessons from 17 years of Special Operations experience and over 400 missions with zero mishaps.

Commander McGinnis frequently operated in the world’s most hostile and challenging circumstances. As a leader, he was responsible not only for his teams’ successes, but their lives as well, taking men and women into battlefields, war zones, and other volatile situations. He and his team executed numerous counter drug initiatives throughout the Caribbean, Central America, and South America in the early 2000s. From 2004 to 2006, he oversaw multiple missions in Iraq and Afghanistan. Additionally, he has served several deployments in northeast Asia as well as the Pacific Rim countries.

Upon completing his last tour of duty, Commander McGinnis joined Genzyme Biosurgery where he was promoted to regional sales director. His positions in both the business world and the Navy SEALS have equipped him with the unique ability to translate his experience from one to the other. Since 2012, he has served as the managing director of the SEAL Legacy Foundation, a non-profit organization that provides assistance to families of wounded and fallen Navy SEALS.

• View Extended/Alternate Bio

  Navy SEALS are the elite of the Special Operations Forces — the most highly trained and dedicated forces in the global special operations community – undertaking the toughest physical and mental training in preparation for dangerous missions into enemy territory. Commander McGinnis will take you through the process of attaining this elite status — including the aptly-named “Hell Week” when soldiers are pushed to the physical, mental and emotional limits, often on less than four hours sleep.

  Mark successfully completed this training, and went on to lead more than 400 SEAL operators through real world operations and training evolutions with zero mishaps. He has completed numerous deployments and operations throughout the Caribbean, Central and South America, North East Asia, the Pacific Rim countries, Iraq and Afghanistan. He truly understands the term “leadership in challenging times” and how to translate his training and experiences to his civilian career.

  Born in Monroe, North Carolina, in 1969 Commander Mark N McGinnis attended the United States Naval Academy. After graduating from USNA in 1993 with a Bachelor of Science degree, he served in the U.S. Marines as a Quality Assurance Officer. Three years later, Mark felt duty-bound to fulfill his lifelong dream of becoming a U.S. Navy SEAL, and in 1996 became one of only four Marine Officers in history to be awarded an inter-service transfer to the U.S. Navy Seals.

  As a Lieutenant Junior Grade, Mark served as Class Leader for Basic Underwater Demolition/SEAL Training Class 212 and after graduation was assigned to SEAL Team FIVE in San Diego, California (1996-2000). At ST-5, Mark served in a variety of positions, leading his team through numerous deployments throughout North East Asia and the Pacific. After his successful tour of duty at ST-5, he was selected to serve at SEAL Team FOUR in Virginia Beach, Virginia (2000-2002) where he completed numerous deployments and operations in support of counter narcotics and counter drug initiatives throughout the Caribbean, as well as Central and South America.

  In May 2002, Lieutenant McGinnis separated from active duty and embarked on a career as a Biosurgical Sales Specialist for Genzyme Biosurgery. Meanwhile, while serving in the reserves, Mark received the rank of Lieutenant Commander at Supervisor Diving and Salvage. Two years later, Mark put his civilian career on hold when he was once again asked to serve his country.

  LCDR McGinnis was assigned to the Special Operations Command Center in Tampa Florida (2004-2006) where he completed numerous deployments in support of Operations Noble Eagle, Enduring Freedom and Iraqi Freedom. During his career as a SEAL officer, Mark has earned the reputation of “Top Operator” and proudly led more than 400 SEAL operators through numerous real world and training evolutions with zero mishaps. In May of 2009, Mark received the rank of Commander.

  After completing his tour of duty at SOCCENT, Commander McGinnis re-joined Genzyme Biosurgery where he was soon after promoted to the position of Regional Sales Director.

  Mark continues to proudly serve in the U.S. Naval Reserves and lives in Austin, Texas with his wife Patty and his children, Reagan and Kellan.