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Mark W. Clark

With over 30 years of experience in designing and administering qualified retirement plans for public and private companies, Mark is responsible for the design, consulting, sales, and technical leadership of the firm. In addition to his broad experience in retirement plan operations and business development Mark provides a strong background in employee development and customer service. He is an innovative leader and mentor dedicated to empowering leadership and accountability.

Before joining Benefit Associates in 1993, Mark began his career in the actuarial calculations department of Pension and Profit Sharing Systems in Long Beach, CA. He subsequently became a staff software developer and was tasked with writing defined benefit calculation programs as well as software to produce Form 5500 on HP LaserJet printers. He has a Bachelor of Arts degree in English from the State University of New York at Fredonia. He has been approved by the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) to practice before the IRS on certain retirement plan issues as an Enrolled Retirement Plan Agent (ERPA) and a member of the following professional organizations:

  • American Society of Pension Plan Professionals – Qualified Pension Administrator (QPA)

  • National Institute of Pension Administrators – Accredited Pension Administrator (APA)

  • The ESOP Association – Member

  • The National Center for Employee Ownership – Member

  • California Society of Certified Public Accountants – Professional Member

Mark has been a course instructor and author for the California Certified Public Accountants Education Foundation for over 20 years. He teaches the Pension & Profit Sharing Plan Strategies, Form 5500, and Defined Benefit Plans: Tax Saving Opportunities courses, and has been recognized as the Outstanding Instructor for 2011-2012. He also regularly speaks at CalCPA conferences:

  • Retirement Plans Conference

  • Tax Update and Planning Conference

  • Entertainment Industry Conference

  • Tax Planning for High Net Worth Individuals Conference

Other speaking and teaching engagements include:

  • University of Southern California – Guest lecturer in professor Barcal’s Family Wealth preservation class at the USC Leventhal School of Accounting in the Marshall School of Business

  • University of California Irvine Extension – Guest speaker in the Certified Financial Planning program

  • Spidell Publishing

  • Minnesota Society of CPAs – Audits of Employee Benefit Plans Conference

  • Minnesota Society of CPAs – Course instructor

  • North Dakota Society of CPAs – Course instructor

  • California Society of CPA – Various Chapter events statewide