Author name: Marcus Flakes

Marcus A. Flakes Sr. is a US Navy Veteran, a father of four (4) children and resides in Texas City, Texas and enjoys spending time with family and working in his yard. His hobbies and interests are traveling, cooking and learning about real estate investments. He serves as a Budget Analyst/ Resource Advisor for the Air National Guard. Marcus is the former Owner/Founder of Marco’s Pepper Grill (restaurant) in Medford and has been recognized for his achievements on local television, in prestige magazines and community newspapers. Mr. Flakes is the CEO/ President of CSI US Military Maintenance LLC, a cleaning, maintenance and home remodeling company. He has devoted majority of his practice to social entrepreneurship and public service. His company mission is to employ US Military Veterans and their families to maintain real property, business offices and facilities. Marcus utilizes the leadership and motivational strategies acquired from the US Military and places a high emphasis on Military Standards with an economic industrial approach to sustainment and restoration. Moreover, he is an Executive Member of the US Military Maintenance Corporate Advisory Board, which serves as the umbrella agency benefiting over thirty-five 100 percent veteran owned businesses as well as Veterans transitioning from Active Duty. Furthermore, Mr. Flakes is a Regional Director for Hirepatriots.com, and Director of Development for Patriotic Hearts to help launch workforce development programs using a national Job Board for veterans and employers; in addition, he continues his role as the National Public Affairs Officer for Kappa Lambda Chi Military Fraternity Inc., a 501 c3 nonprofit with chapters in over sixteen (16) states across the country. Mr. Flakes has extensive experience in the business arena, to include: hospitality management, budget and finance, business startups, public health, and the fiscal management of nonprofit operations. His recent activities include writing strategic plans for Nonprofits and working with industry leaders and public officials in the public sector to implement a strategy for solving Veteran’s Unemployment. Furthermore, he has been invited to talk show radio stations to discuss best practices on Scaling a Business for Success. He has assisted different organizations with grant writing and developing mission objectives for a successful program outcome. In his spare time, Mr. Flakes volunteers as an occasional speaker for Youth at the Texas City Independent School District (TCISD) for Communities and Schools-Galveston, Texas. In the past, he has been extended offers to sit on School Foundation Boards for the development of youth mentoring programs and the coordination for community outreach.