Mark A. Bounds is a native of Baltimore, Maryland. He received his undergraduate
degree from Towson University and was commissioned as a Distinguished Military
Graduate from the Johns Hopkins University ROTC program. He spent the next
twenty years serving our nation as an infantry officer in the United States Army.
While in the Army, Lieutenant Colonel Bounds served tours of duty in the United
States and Europe and earned numerous decorations and awards including two
Legions of Merit.
After transitioning from the Army, Bounds began a career in education. His senior
education positions include South Carolina Department of Education (SCDE) Deputy
Superintendent for School Effectiveness, State Director Communities in Schools of
South Carolina, SCDE Director of School Leadership and Chief Information Officer
for School District Five of Lexington and Richland Counties (D5).
Mr. Bounds possesses a Master of Science degree in Administration from Central
Michigan University and a Master of Arts degree in National Security and Strategic
Studies from the College of Naval Command and Staff. He is a graduate of the
Center for Creative Leadership Education Leader Development Program, the
International Center for Leadership in Education, the Riley Institute Diversity
Leadership Initiative and is a South Carolina Education Policy Fellow. His awards
include the D5 Visionary award, the Irmo Chamber of Commerce Education Award
and the Order of the Palmetto, South Carolina’s highest civilian honor.
He and his wife Kathleen are the proud parents of two grown children, April and
David and the proud grandparents of four grandchildren, Addison, Eleanor, Natalie
and Samuel.
