First Serve Strategies

Mark P. Loschiavo – Founder

As President of First Serve Strategies, Senior Executive-in-Residence for the LeBow College of Business, and Executive Director of the Laurence A. Baiada Center for Entrepreneurship in Technology at Drexel University, Mark Loschiavo is a seasoned executive skilled in business formation, change management, and turn-around; with leadership experience in General Management, Strategy, Marketing and Finance. He is experienced in the start-up and growth of companies and organizations that quickly become profitable and cash positive.   His Industry experiences include virtually every segment of the high-tech industry from manufacturing and development to marketing and service.

As Senior Executive-in-Residence for the LeBow College of Business at Drexel University, Mark is a professor in the Executive and Corporate MBA programs.  His primary areas of focus are Strategic Management and Executive Leadership.  He is also Executive Director for the Laurence A. Baiada Center for Entrepreneurship in Technology, a state-of-the-art business incubator.  Under Mark’s leadership the Center incubates ideas, entrepreneurs and companies, and has catapulted Drexel University into being ranked a Top 10 university in entrepreneurship in the nation.

As President, First Serve Strategies, Mark works with companies in the areas of Strategic Management and leadership.

Previously, Mark was President of Akcelerant Space, a General Partnership incubator between Akcelerant, LLC and Brandywine Realty Trust (NYSE: BDN). At the same time he acted as General Manager and CTO for e-Tenants, LLC a wholly owned subsidiary of Brandywine Realty Trust, Mark’s responsibilities included Profit & Loss, business execution, strategy, product development and business development.

Earlier, Mark was founder and CEO of Cenero, LLC.  Cenero is a leader in audiovisual system engineering and consulting, providing integrated IT/audiovisual solutions that enhance clients’ strategic competitiveness.  The company achieved profitability and became cash positive within the first 12 months of operation.  Mark still maintains ownership and a Board position in the company.

Previously, Mark was one of the twelve original members of Technology Service Solutions (TSS), a joint venture between IBM and Eastman Kodak. He was instrumental in building TSS into the largest independent Services provider for Desktop Computer, Workstation, and Point of Sale Systems in the US.  TSS was a private label company with over 7000 people nationwide.  As head of Strategy and Business Development, Mark was responsible for each of the company’s Lines of Business.  Later, TSS was acquired by and integrated into IBM Global Services, where Mark was instrumental in the transition process.

Mark has extensive experience in financial analysis, business reengineering, marketing and strategic planning through his many assignments with IBM over a 15-year career.  As CFO, IBM Delaware Valley/Central, Pennsylvania, Mark had fiduciary responsibilities for a $1 billion retail profit center, and management responsibilities for a 340-person organization.  His responsibilities included P&L, Marketing, Business Planning, Operations and Administration, Expense and Resource Management, Information Technology Support, Quality, Communications, Community and Government Affairs.  During that time he led a yearlong effort to re-engineer the methodologies and processes for identifying market opportunities, defining and developing customer solutions, and determining appropriate marketing and distribution channels that became a model throughout IBM North America.  Mark also held positions within IBM in Kentucky, Colorado and New York.  Over the years he has developed an expertise in building and reengineering businesses.

In addition to for-profit board positions, Mark is active in civic organizations such as the Pennsylvania Economy League where he has served as Treasurer, and Chair of Finance and Audit Committee. He serves on the Boards of the Entrepreneurs Forum of Greater Philadelphia, The Enterprise Center, and the Greater Philadelphia Venture Group, where he is chair of the Education Outreach Committee.  He was twice elected to Outstanding Young Men of America by the U. S. Jaycees and was nominated to be IBM White House Fellow.  Mark has been an adjunct instructor for the Fox School of Business at Temple University, and has lectured at the Wharton Small Business Development Center.

Mark has a B.S. and M.S. in Economics from the University of Kentucky, is a graduate of IBM’s Advanced Management School, and resides in West Chester, Pennsylvania with his wife Jill.