Mark Lupo joined the University of Georgia Small Business Development Center in Columbus in 2005 as a Business Consultant and was promoted to Area Director for the Columbus office in July of 2012. He served with the U.S. Army 5th Special Forces Group at Fort Bragg, NC during the 1980s as the medical supervisor for an A detachment, with a language specialty of Turkish. He served in both the Middle East and Europe and was deployed during Operation Desert Shield/ Desert Storm in 1990 and 1991.

Mark had a 20-year history within the healthcare field, working in both clinical and administrative roles, primarily in the perioperative and home health arena. He and his wife owned two Thomas Kinkade art galleries from 1999-2004. He currently  serves as President and CEO of Lupo Properties, Inc., a real estate investment company started in 2001, specializing in renting single-family homes in the Columbus/Phenix City area.

Mark is a recipient of the 2012 and 2016 UGA SBDC Flewellen Award for Consulting Excellence. He recently obtained his Master Business Continuity Professional (MBCP) certification, accredited through the Disaster Recovery Institute International (DRII), having become a Certified Business Continuity Professional through DRII in 2009. Mark specializes in assisting businesses in developing emergency preparedness and business continuity plans. He has a passion for working with entrepreneurs and small businesses, helping others successfully identify the path, and the resources needed to develop a successful, profitable and prepared business.