With a hands-on history in construction and manufacturing, Mark A. McConnell used his experience and expertise as a Master Plumber, Master Electrician to fuel his passion for making things from start to finish. Several years in Machining work making parts for a wide variety of applications from farm equipment to the NASA Space Shuttle fleet added to his wide area of knowledge. Moving from mechanical to more personnel endeavors, he soon had an award winning career in Business management, product development and mass marketing for the fast food industry.

As the technology of the world grew, so did his passions and that brought him face to face with the next stage of his life, computers. After a short but intense self education in the world of Personal Computer build and repair, he discovered a natural aptitude for making the new and complex easy to understand and work for the average person. This inspired him to embark on a successful endeavor to build and operate public computer stores in North Florida, with work done from Chicago, Vancouver Canada, Tennessee and Las Vegas to California to name a few. Providing training, custom built machines and on-site support for thousands of individuals and businesses.

Involved in the production of aircraft based topical-mapping proprietary computer systems and GPS management structures increased his desire to move to the forefront on technology and the benefits it provided to mankind both in military applications and for the common man. It was in this endeavor that he was introduced to Clint McCowen, the master mind of the EMPIRE project. Both living and working in North Florida, they found their paths crossing regularly, and the world will soon benefit from that.

The natural curiosity of technology, and the new friendship led him to a partnership with Clint McCowen and the EMPIRE project. The two were a natural fit, and the outside-the-normal thinking of both, and the expertise and experience of the separate and unique careers provided a unique synergy, and the project took life. Now working as the principal site development person and looking into world-wide applications ranging from lightning suppression, Hydrogen production, power-loss recovery, space applications and many more, the future for this proud American and for the EMPIRE project is bright.