Some people spend their careers climbing the ladder.
Others spend the next chapter building one for someone else.
Tom Markert has worn plenty of titles over the years: global business executive, CEO, professional sports team owner, author, and now Delray Beach city commissioner and deputy vice mayor. But after decades in corporate leadership, it’s his commitment to public service that seems to define this season of his life.
“I’ve always wanted to make sure that I had time to give back to my community because life has been great to me,” Markert told me during a recent episode of The Paige Kornblue Show. “Along the way, I just didn’t have the bandwidth to do some of the things in the community that I would like to do.”
During his 27-year career with Nielsen, Markert and his family moved 14 times, including assignments in Canada and Australia as he climbed the corporate ladder. With his children now grown, he has turned his attention to public service, helping shape the future of Delray Beach while also serving as president of the InfraGard National Members Alliance, an FBI-affiliated nonprofit that partners with the FBI to help educate communities and businesses about public safety and protecting America’s critical infrastructure.
For Markert, leadership has never been about standing alone.
“The word TEAM always resonates with me because it has a meaning for me. TEAM is Together Everyone Achieves More. And that’s been a life lesson for me,” said Markert.
It’s a philosophy that began on the basketball court, where he earned a scholarship to St. Lawrence University, and one that carried him through leadership positions with companies including Procter & Gamble, Nielsen, Ipsos, Citi, and Office Depot.
His latest chapter takes that same curiosity in an entirely different direction: fiction.
His thriller, Death Watch, introduces readers to Samson, a CIA psychic who catches glimpses of the future while investigating a conspiracy that reaches the White House. Blending political suspense, law enforcement, and psychological intrigue, the novel draws on years of research, business and corporate experience, and insights gained from working alongside members of the law enforcement community.
The early response has been encouraging.
“The biggest one has been, ‘When is the sequel coming?’ That’s about the best thing you can hear from people,” said Markert.
Whether serving the Delray Beach community, mentoring future leaders, or writing the next installment of Death Watch, Markert isn’t slowing down. He’s simply proving that the next chapter can be every bit as meaningful as the first.
To hear more of our conversation including Markert’s thoughts on career reinvention, writing Death Watch, public service, and the lessons he’s carried from the basketball court to the boardroom, listen to Episode 99 of The Paige Kornblue Show wherever you get your podcasts.
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