Remembering Mark Skender (1963-2025)

We’re deeply saddened by the passing of Mark Skender, former CEO of Skender Construction. He passed away peacefully at home surrounded by family on April 18, 2025, after a courageous battle with cancer.

A lifelong Chicagoan, Mark was born on December 3, 1963. He graduated from Carl Sandburg High School, earned a Bachelor of Science in Civil and Environmental Engineering from the University of Wisconsin–Madison, and an MBA from the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University.

Mark served as CEO of Skender from 2014 to 2020 and Executive Vice President from 1989 to 2014. He was more than a leader – Mark was a visionary who helped shape the future of our company into one of Chicago’s most forward-thinking and community-focused construction firms.

During his tenure, Mark championed lean construction practices, embraced new technologies and fostered a culture of transparency and teamwork. He was co-founder of the Lean Construction Institute’s Chicago Community of Practice and an adjunct professor at Northwestern University.

Those who worked with him knew his steady leadership, generous spirit and unwavering belief in the powers of innovation and collaboration. His influence lives on in the buildings he helped bring to life and in the people and teams he inspired every day.

We extend our heartfelt condolences to Mark’s wife, Roxanne, and his children, Elena and Daniel, and to the Skender family, his many friends and all who had the privilege of knowing him.