I Am A Mother - My Son, the President

I always laugh at the stereotypical Jewish mother who brags about "my son, the Doctor..." but I can understand the heart-strings that are pulled when one of your children reaches a goal, is acknowledged for many years of hard work and achieves recognition with a title.  My youngest son, Marc, recently received a well-earned promotion and title as President of Leader Enterprises Public Relations practice.

Marc Altieri

Quite a mouthful, but it means that of the 5 practices (divisions) of his company, Marc is responsible for THIS division AND the entire operations of their Seal Beach Office.  As usually happens, Marc has been performing in this capacity for many months and finally the title caught up with him.  He started his career in Public Relations at a major PR firm, Hill and Knowlton Sports Marketing Division in Irvine, right out of college but after years working for them and then, DirecTV, he and his colleague and friend, Todd Brooks, decided to branch out on their own and formed the West Coast office for Leader Enterprises focusing on Sports Marketing and Public Relations.  10 years ago it was the two of them and two other employees and now they have a staff of 25 and achieved the position of #1 Public Relations firm in Orange County for the second year in a row.

Gifted with tremendous creativity, Marc has been instrumental in acquiring many long-time heavy-hitter clients. In addition to these below, he has handled TaylorMade/Addidas Golf, Toyota, Bells Helmets and he even was Mark McGwire's publicist from the glory days of his 1998 home run race to the dark days of the Senate Hearings on Steroids in 2005.

At Angel's Stadium with client, Mizuno Sporting Goods

Marc has worked with Eli & Payton Manning for 8 years doing media work to promote DirecTv.

As a mom, I am very proud of him and happy for him...but in truth, it is not the title that fills my heart.  I look at the man's face and I see the child...and I see his heart.  Every child is unique.  Children may grow up within the same walls with the same set of parents and the same economic situation, but they still develop in their own way with their own personality.  So it was with Marc.

He had two older brothers and maybe that was why he always seemed older than his years but he had a focused, perceptive way of viewing life from the time he was a child.  He was always his own person. While taking pride in his heritage, he was not ruled by it.  He came from a "football" family and was raised on the quotes of Vince Lombardi, yet he was the 6 year old who walked to the neighborhood park when the kids were signing up for Little League Baseball, approached the coach, said he wanted to join the team and when told his parent had to sign him up, he gave the coach his address and asked him to come to his house, talk to his parents and get him signed up!  A baseball player in the Altieri household!! He went on to play for many years, an All-Star pitcher and catcher...and we were in the stands cheering for him.

This same focus, drive, passion and confidence to face life in a way that was authentic for him has carried him through life.  Marc knows who he is and what he believes and no matter what people, out of the goodness of their hearts suggest to him, he still makes his own calls and stays true to himself.  Because of this trait, I have tremendous trust in him.  I know if I ask for his opinion, he will give it to me with clarity and  honesty.  Marc is not complicated.

Who is Marc and what does he love?
He loves his dog, Vito.

Marc and Vito!

He loves riding his motorcycle on nice summer days.

He loves playing golf every weekend, with his brother, his uncle, his buddies.

Winning the Torok Golf Tournament!

He loves his body art...continuing to "ink" his back and arms with "works of art."

Getting some more "ink" with artist Corey Miller

He loves dressing casual...levis, T-shirts, baseball caps. And he loves the LA Kings!

He loves music, The Avett Brothers, and his drums.

He loves his family and his nephew Gabriel, spending time with him and inviting him for sleep-overs.

Marc with nephew, Gabriel

And...he loves me, his mother.

 6 months ago my mother died.  My 3 sons were there for me, but it was Marc who walked the path with me to bury her.  He met me in the parking lot before going to talk to the priest to plan the funeral. I was exhausted and bereft. He put his arm around me and said, "Mom, you just set the tone and sit back.  I will handle this for you.  I orchestrate events everyday, it is my job, and I will do this for you."  And he did.  He planned and executed the most personal funeral my mother could have hoped for, involving every person in the family, giving dignity and respect to his grandmother, and allowing me to sit in my seat and grieve, knowing that he had everything in hand.  It is the greatest gift he could have given to me.

Marc at the side, directing the funeral service while his cousins speak of their grandmother.

As with all my children, I learn from Marc. He told me once, "I am not corporate in look or demeanor. I am me." Despite the challenges and work this has put in front of him, he has managed to earn all the things he wanted and become an accepted and very well-respected pro within his industry. He has taught me the value of being a self-made person, of being authentic and true to yourself and of paying the dues to earn your way and reach your goal, of holding fast to your values.  For me, Marc is "true North!" 

Congratulations Marc!  I am so proud of you and happy for you.  You have earned this.