When people think about what makes an event successful, they usually picture the visible parts first. The stage is set. The timing works. The speakers arrive. The room feels polished, energized, and ready.

What they do not always see is the financial discipline and operational structure that help make all of that possible.

At Markham, that work is led largely by Marcus Montaño, Director of Finance. He oversees the financial health of the company, managing everything from accounts payable and receivable to cash flow, systems, vendor coordination, and the day to day details that keep complex work moving.

For Marcus, the role is about far more than numbers.

“I’m constantly asking one question,” he says. “How can I make this easier for the team?”

That mindset shapes the way he approaches finance at Markham. He is both hands-on and strategic, focused not only on accuracy and compliance, but also on reducing friction for colleagues who are often juggling fast-moving projects, travel, and high-stakes deadlines. His goal is to create clarity, streamline processes, and take stress off other’s plates so they can stay focused on delivering excellent work.

In a company known for producing ambitious, purpose-driven events, Marcus helps provide the calm, consistency, and backend structure that make those efforts possible.

A Fast Start in a Fast World

Marcus joined Markham in 2016 after graduating from Duke University, where he studied history, economics, and finance while also competing as a decathlete. Before Markham, he had worked on Capitol Hill and knew he wanted to build a career that blended policy, business, and finance.

At the time, he was also considering a finance master’s program and applying broadly to jobs in Washington, DC. Markham was one of many organizations on that list, but it quickly became the one that changed everything.

“I applied to a bunch of places,” he recalls. Soon after, he heard from Paul Neaville, Markham Founding Partner.

What Marcus did not realize at the time was that someone from his Duke network had quietly helped open that door. A former classmate, Ray Li, had interned at Markham years earlier. When Marcus’s resume came across Paul’s desk, Paul reached out to Ray for context.

“I think Ray said I was a good guy and that he should give me a shot,” Marcus remembers. “We had an education class together and a few mutual friends, but we weren’t super close.”

The moment stuck with him. “You really never know who can help out for an opportunity,” he says. It is a reminder he carries into his work, too: show up the right way, every day.

Starting With the Fundamentals

Nearly a decade later, Marcus still begins each day the same way: with the fundamentals.

One of the first things he does each morning is check his emails, review accounts payable and receivable, look at balances, monitor cash flow, and scan for anything that changed overnight.

“I just want to level set,” he says. “If somebody asks where we are financially, I already want to have a quick idea.”

That daily rhythm helps him stay one step ahead. If a colleague needs to know whether a vendor can be paid this week, or whether a client payment has cleared, Marcus can respond quickly and with confidence. In a business where timing matters and project needs can shift fast, that readiness has real value.

A typical week includes constant communication, payment tracking, problem-solving, and a steady flow of incoming requests. Some days are quiet. Others are not.

“I might get zero requests on a Tuesday and then get eight on Wednesday,” he says.

That unpredictability is exactly why his discipline matters. Strong routines help him move quickly, stay organized, and prevent small issues from snowballing.

The Human Side of Finance

For Marcus, finance in a creative event agency requires much more than technical skill. It also requires communication, emotional intelligence, and the ability to manage expectations in a way that keeps people grounded rather than overwhelmed.

“There’s an art to managing expectations with clients and vendors, pacing payments, and communicating in ways that lower stress rather than add to it,” he explains.

A large part of that communication happens internally. During especially busy seasons, requests can pile up quickly, often with tight turnarounds and shifting priorities. Marcus tries to meet those moments with honesty, calm, and responsiveness.

Externally, the role comes with its own set of details that many people never see. That can mean coordinating with vendors, troubleshooting invoicing portals, dealing with backend accounting systems, or staying on the line with IT support when a required upload is not working.

It may not be glamorous, but it is essential. And it is one of the reasons Marcus believes finance plays such a central role in event execution, even from behind the scenes.

*The 2022 Heartland Summit. Bentonville, AK*

The Work On-Site

Although much of Marcus’s work happens behind the scenes, he has also supported Markham projects on-site, where the same mindset applies in real time.

At the 2018 Heartland Summit, heavy rain turned a key guest area into mud just as the team was preparing for attendees. Marcus jumped in alongside the crew, helping move and spread gravel so the space could stay safe, functional, and on schedule.

“It was what needed to get done in the fastest way possible,” he says.

For Marcus, moments like that reflect a broader truth about the work. Success is not just about being seen. It is about staying calm, solving problems quickly, and helping create the conditions for the team to do its best work.

That approach has also shaped his contributions to major efforts such as the 2025 Clinton Global Initiative and other large-scale national convenings. Even when his role is one part of a much larger machine, he finds real meaning in helping the team deliver work that feels coordinated, collaborative, and strong from start to finish.

“It’s almost like winning a championship,” he says. “Everybody’s in good spirits, everybody’s happy, and you know it was a job well done.”

Leadership Behind the Scenes

Marcus does not define leadership by being the most visible person in the room. In his role, leadership looks like being dependable, building trust, and creating systems that allow other people to do their jobs well.

The values that guide him are curiosity, diligence, and trust. He is always looking for better tools and stronger systems. He believes in routines that keep work accurate and organized. And he tries to empower people rather than micromanage them.

He credits mentors who helped shape that mindset early on. Former Markham CFO, Abbie Reeves set the tone for leading with patience, clarity, and kindness, while Markham CEO David Cusack has continuously modeled how high standards and genuine support can coexist.

Marcus tries to bring that same balance to others by staying approachable, creating good energy, and making sure people feel respected no matter their title or experience level.

*Hiking Goldmine Trailhead at San Tan Valley, Arizona (2026)*

Discipline, Perspective, and the Bigger Picture

Much of Marcus’s approach to work traces back to the disciplines he built long before Markham. His years as a student-athlete taught him consistency, endurance, and the value of showing up even when the work is hard. Today, marathon training reinforces the same lesson.

“Discipline translates directly to how I work,” he says.

Outside of work, movement is one of the main ways he resets. Running, hiking, biking, lifting, basketball, and time outdoors all help him stay balanced and focused. He describes those habits as non-negotiables, not only because they matter personally, but because they make him better professionally too.

He also brings a wider perspective to stressful moments. In his view, many work pressures become more manageable when placed alongside the realities people face outside the office.

That perspective reinforces what colleagues likely already sense about him: he is disciplined, steady, and optimistic without being naive.

“I can only be grateful,” he says.

Advice For The Next Generation

For someone early in a finance or operations career, Marcus keeps his advice simple.

“Take initiative.”

He believes there has never been a better time to learn independently, build technical fluency, and strengthen your foundation through repetition and curiosity.

“If you don’t know something, look it up, cross-reference it, verify it,” he says. “Building a strong foundation is a choice you can make every day.”

That same belief applies beyond technical growth. Over time, Marcus has come to believe even more strongly that people shape their own reality through daily choices, perspective, and how they treat others.

“You can either let the world happen to you, or you can make things happen in the world based on your daily choices,” he says.

It is a philosophy that shows up in the way he leads, collaborates, and stays grounded. It is also one of the clearest explanations for why he has remained at Markham for nearly ten years.

*The Markham team at the 2024 Clinton Global Initiative in New York City, NY.*

Good People, Great Work

When Marcus talks about what has kept him at Markham, he returns again and again to the same themes: good people, meaningful work, and a culture that balances high standards with humanity.

For him, that does not mean lowering the bar. It means understanding that excellent work depends on trust, respect, discipline, and a shared sense of purpose. Markham’s work matters because it aims to move important ideas and causes forward, and Marcus sees the backend systems that support that work as part of that impact too.

Making finance easier for the team may not be the loudest part of the job. But in a company built on execution, collaboration, and purpose-driven work, it is one of the things that helps everything hold together. For Marcus, great finance is ultimately about helping good people do great work.

The Discipline Behind Great Finance: Marcus Montaño on Trust, Partnership, and Great Work