Mark L. Ress '76

Mark Ress has come a long way since his upbringings in a small, Indiana town. He is currently the president of Frederick Sheet Metal, Inc. in Tell City, Indiana. He is married and has two children, and has been very active in his community.

Mark started off in a small Indiana town. When Mark came to Rose-Hulman, he pledged Rho Phi, and was initiated in 1973. During his time at Rose-Hulman, Mark was very active with Phi Gamma Delta. He was the corresponding secretary for the ’74-’75 school year, and was the chapter treasurer the proceeding year. While at Rose-Hulman, Mark also found time to be a member of the engineering honor society, Tau Beta Pi. Mark graduated from Rose-Hulman in 1976. Mark credits his time with Rho Phi as an undergraduate as, “…turning a naïve, immature, small town, seventeen year-old nerd into a more worldly and socially adept nerd.”

Since graduation, Mark has continued to be active in Rho Phi. He has been a member of the house corporation board since the late 1970’s, and has served as president on two occasions for several years.

Mark has also been very active with work and the community also. Frederick Sheet Metal won the 1992 Business of the Year by the Perry County Chamber of Commerce. Mark is also a member of the board of directors for First State Bank, Southwest Indiana. When not focusing on his professional life, Mark finds time to be a curator of the Tell City Historical Society (of which he was a former president as well). Mark has also been a president if the Optimist Club of Tell City. For the 2000-2001 school year, Mark won a Mansfield Award for service to the high school swim team, and has been a volunteer USS swim meet official.

Mark is married to his wife, Cindia. They have two children, Brandon (25) and Courtney (23). He currently lives in the southern Indiana town of Tell City.