Forty Under 40: Mark McQueen

Mark McQueen owned his own businesses, but after some health problems helped him realize that taking off work really wasn’t an option, he began to look for a more giving opportunity. That’s when he went to work for Athletic World Advertising. nIn the eight years he’s been with the company, its revenue has grown from $1 million per year to an expected $20 million this year. McQueen isn’t stopping. n”I would like to grow our company to maybe $50 million in the next three years,” McQueen said. nMcQueen was raised in the Watts, Okla., and Lincoln area. He’s the former owner of Computer World in Fayetteville and also previously owned Surplus Sales in Siloam Springs. nAsked what drives him to succeed, McQueen said he has a strong work ethic that he likely gained from his father, a former U.S. Marine. nMcQueen learned to fly two years ago and hopes to buy his own plane soon. He likes the stress relief he gets from flying, he said. He also likes to scuba dive and ride motorcycles.nMcQueen would advise others to make sure they know the people they work for. He and AWA owner Gregg Ogden complement each other well, McQueen said, explaining that Ogden is strong where he’s weak and vice versa. nn