Stephen H Marcus

Stephen H. Marcus is chairman of the board of The Marcus Corporation, a Milwaukee-based, publicly traded company comprising two divisions — Marcus Hotels and Resorts, and Marcus Theatres. Its portfolio includes 20 hotels and resorts nationwide and nearly 700 screens spanning seven states. He joined the company in 1962, served as president from 1980 to January 2008, as chief executive officer from 1988 to January 2009, and has been chairman since 1991. The company was founded by his father Ben Marcus in 1935 with one movie theater in Ripon. Over the past 47 years Stephen Marcus has developed the business into a national leader in the lodging and entertainment industries. He was instrumental in the acquisition of The Pfister Hotel and Marc Plaza (now the Milwaukee Hilton) and construction of the Pfister Tower; the conception and expansion of Baymont Inns & Suites, and the Woodfield Suites brands. His extensive activities in the Milwaukee community include serving as co-chair of the 2001 United Way campaign, president of Summerfest, chairman of the United Performing Arts Fund campaign and director of The Marcus Corporation Foundation, which in partnership with the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee School of Architecture and Urban Planning, established the Marcus Prize in 2005, an architectural award offered every two years to recognize emerging talent in the world of architecture.