Mark Draeb

A graduate of the Florida International University with a BS in Electrical Engineering, Mark Draeb boasts nearly three decades of experience as an entrepreneur. He began his career as a Systems Engineer for the Real Time Systems division of Computer Products, Inc. based in Ft. Lauderdale, FL and was responsible for analog hardware design, systems engineering, and project management efforts. Following relocation to Atlanta, GA, Mark joined Wandel & Golterman (W&G) as a technical sales engineer and moved up to sales manager in the telecommunications test equipment industry. He also held similar positions with Telecommunications Techniques Corporation which merged with W&G as well as Scientific-Atlanta. Ready to create his own company, Mark Draeb started Magic Communications Corporation and began marketing and selling his own digital data test equipment that he invented and developed in his basement. After securing clients that included AT&T, GTE, FBI, & CIA, he sold the company to T-Comm. and Immediately started working with his brother and another individual on a new company in the Freight Transportation Industry called Grizella Corporation. In search of funding, Mr. Draeb reached out to many economic development organizations including some in the state of North Dakota where he grew up. Mr. Draeb received investment commitments to relocate Grizella Corporation to Hebron, ND. The scope of the project earned him the ND Project of the Year for Economic Development award from the then ND State Governor John Hoeven. Grizella provided Software as a Service (SaaS) Trademarked Services included PostEverywhere® the leading freight transportation load board aggregation application and SaferWatch® the leading application in motor carrier compliance. After thirteen years in business as President and CEO of the company, he was instrumental in coordinating the sale of the company to uShip.com, the platform behind the reality television series Shipping Wars which aired on A&E. Five years later, he was asked to take the lead for the disposition of the Grizella division to Truckstop.com. Mark Draeb and his wife enjoy spending free time riding horses and working on their property Windy Ridge Stables.