Mark Pickel has been employed by The Biltmore Company in Asheville, North Carolina since 2000, currently in the position of Chief Financial Officer. As a member of Biltmore’s executive committee, his responsibilities include providing strategic leadership of corporate accounting, treasury, technology and winery operations. Mark is committed to the preservation of Biltmore Estate, a privately owned 8,000-acre property George Washington Vanderbilt opened in 1895 that is designated a United States National Historic Landmark.
Mark’s research interests include promoting sustainable cultural heritage tourism with a practical humanistic leadership approach. He is currently writing a book on cultural heritage tourism leadership guided by core values of human dignity, autonomy, and creativity. Mark holds a doctor of business administration (DBA) in organizational leadership from Liberty University, completing a dissertation exploring ethical technology leadership and the influence of organizational culture on ethical decision-making. He also holds an MBA and BBA in business finance from Middle Tennessee State University and maintains a Certified Treasury Professional designation.