Julie Marks - Beyond Payroll

MAY 2014
Julie Marks
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Julie Marks
Making Every Day Special
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LIVING LIFE WITH
A VENGEANCE
“My motto is to live life with a vengeance,”
says Marks, who has adapted this
philosophy over the years. “We should
create unique experiences every day because
you never know if you will have tomorrow.
I look back at the time I spent with my
parents. They were my best friends. I have
no regrets.”
Writer / Janet C. Striebel
A
fter receiving nominations for
many wonderful mothers in
our community, we gave our
readers the difficult task of
choosing only one winner. The new 2014
Geist Mom of the Year is Julie Marks, who
intentionally enjoys making the most of
every day. She finds a reason to celebrate
life not only for her two children, Seth (11)
and Brooke (9), but for anyone she knows.
By using the Wacky Holiday Calendar, she
carefully orchestrates nationally recognized
moments like Teddy Bear Day, Movie Day
and Ice Cream Sandwich Day. A rainy day
might inspire an inside picnic or scavenger
hunt.
Julie, with long, wavy red hair framing her
genuine smile, greeted me at her beautiful
home. She guided me to the kitchen, where
I met her daughter Brooke, who was busy
coloring Easter eggs with two neighbor
friends. Suddenly, I realized there is never a
dull moment in the presence of Julie Marks.
Why does she choose to live life to its
fullest? “Actually, what drives me are two
major events that happened in my life
within months of each other: a near fatal
car accident and the loss of my mom,”
says Marks. In April 1996, Marks was the
passenger in a car struck head-on by a dump
truck, leaving her unable to work for a year.
In August of that year, while she was in
rehabilitation, her mother was diagnosed
with a rare terminal cancer.
Marks attributes many of her life lessons
to her mom, who was so positive and
well-liked by others. “My mom was a
tremendous role model, not only as
a mother and a humanitarian but as a
career woman as well.” Unfortunately, in
November 1996, her mother lost her battle
with cancer. The viewing had to be extended
to two days because there were so many
people who wanted to attend, including a
couple who came all the way from Japan to
pay tribute to her mother.
Losing her mom strengthened her already
close relationship to her dad. Marks recalls,
“I focused on making his dreams come true.
We went to Broadway shows and made each
day special. We even traveled together on
cruises to Europe and the Panama Canal.”
In 2002, Marks became a mother, which
reinforced her determination to cherish
every moment. She recalls, “I took both of
my children to get their pictures made every
week for the first three years of their lives.”
She is saddened that her children never
knew their “Grandma Jewell” but thankful
for the few short years they had with their
“Papa” until he passed away in 2009 after a
two-year battle with pancreatic cancer.
As we talk in her living room, Marks
points to the framed photos sitting on her
bookshelves. She shows me a picture of her
wearing a helmet when she attended the
Chicagoland Speedway NASCAR racing
school experience in 2012. She laughs as
she says, “I got my speed up to 140 mph
and I was in Kevin Harvick’s race car.” She
then points to the photo of her when she
participated in a flying trapeze school in
Chicago, where she learned trapeze stunts
and acrobatics.
In talking with me she shares how death
has always surrounded her. She lost her first
friend to cancer at age eight. Car accidents
have claimed two of her friends, one in
high school and another in college, and
she has lost many loved ones in adulthood.
She believes these experiences have helped
shape her viewpoints about savoring life’s
moments.
“Julie chooses to live life intentionally,” says
good friend and neighbor Jen Searcy, who
nominated Marks for this honor. “She’s
the cruise director for our neighborhood.
She puts a lot of effort into hosting fun
events and goes out of her way to make sure
everyone is included. Her home is a kidmagnet. I call her my children’s ‘fun mom.’
They call her ‘Aunt Julie’ because she is like
family.”
Marks, a single mom, firmly believes the
first 30 minutes of when your children get
home from school are the most important.
“This is when your kids will tell you what
happened at school.” Marks grew up playing
volleyball, basketball and softball. Her mom
never missed one of her games. Being there
for her kids has always been her number
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HERE ARE SOME THINGS THAT THE NEIGHBORHOOD
CHILDREN ARE SAYING ABOUT MARKS:
SOPHIE BLACKWELL (11)
“I like how she had
Teddy Bear Day. We all
brought our teddy bears
to her home and played
with them. We also had
cookies and cupcakes and
got to go swimming.”
CLAIRE BLACKWELL (11)
“I like how she has
sleepovers, fashion
shows and how we get to
make up dances and go
swimming. She makes
you always have a smile
on your face and you
don’t want to leave.”
one priority. Like her own mother, she
has balanced home life and a demanding
career as vice president of a Fortune 500
company for nearly 20 years and now as
president and partner in her company,
Beyond Payroll. Her beliefs, which are
unconventional in corporate America,
have become widely valued as she has
demonstrated exceptional leadership
to her employees. Her philosophy
states, “No recital or kids’ activities
will be missed on my watch,” and she
encourages her associates to leave work
and be present for these invaluable
moments.
MADISON SCHAUS (10)
“She taught me how to
ride a bike in the last two
days. She is very fun,
always has lots of holidays
and is very creative.”
P
PAIGE GOODNIGHT (10)
“I love her and coming
over to her house. She
made my summer great.
She would never leave
anyone out. She always
throws good parties.”
r i v a t e
B
CATE SEARCY (11)
“She always has fun
holidays even if no one
else knows about them.
One time she planned a
surprise for my birthday
with cupcakes and
everyone sang ‘Happy
Birthday’ to me.”
a n k i n g
the Bank that’s Close
to home.
At the National Bank of Indianapolis, we’re proud
to be the Indianapolis area’s largest locally owned
national bank. Our private bankers, our directors,
In fact, her highly innovative approach
has been featured in the leadership
books “The Encore Effect” and “You
Don’t Need a Title to Be a Leader” and
in television/ radio interviews. She has
appeared as a recurring guest for the
Mom’s Panel segment on the FOX-59
Morning Show.
even our shareholders live and work in Greater
Indianapolis. Decisions are made locally by people
close to the community. So if you’re looking for
professional banking service from someone who
cares, call Sherry Hyska today at 261-9736.
Philanthropy is also very important
to Marks. She has shared her passion
for community leadership through
involvement in sponsoring a child for
the Make a Wish Foundation, leading a
house build for Habitat for Humanity,
volunteering for the Lawrence Township
School Foundation and serving as
a speaker and mentor for Dress for
Success Professional Women’s Group,
and she gives her time as a keynote
speaker for many professional and
women’s organizations.
She’ll make you feel right at home.
Obviously, her children have begun
collecting positive memories. Her
daughter Brooke says, “I liked when we
had Backwards Day.
Sherry Hyska
Vice President, Private Banker
NMLS #473850
©2014 The National Bank of Indianapolis www.nbofi.com Member FDIC
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Reeda Todd stylists Laurie and Shelby treated
Julie to a spa day like no other, complete with a
facial, haircut, manicure, pedicure and make-up.
We rearranged the furniture; we ate pork,
mashed potatoes and green beans for
breakfast and had eggs, bacon and waffles for
role model and an inspiration as a working
dinner. I also like our Happy Jar. We write
things that make us happy on sticky notes and career woman who focuses on making time
put them in a jar we painted. At the end of the for her children and family.”
year we empty them out and read them.”
Marks’ adventurous spirit has attracted
“I really like Talk like a Pirate Day,” says
one special new friend this past year. She
Seth, Marks’ son. “We get to have friends
recently got engaged to Dr. Michael Dennis
over, eat pigs in a blanket (pirate fingers)
and is planning a wedding. With a mom
and green pasta (seaweed). Also, I enjoy Dr. like this in charge, this soon-to-be-family
Seuss’ birthday when we watch a movie,
will inevitably make more unforgettable
decorate the kitchen and have green eggs
memories.
and ham and blue jello with goldfish inside.
“As another tradition, every night at dinner, Too often, many of us stay busy in our
Marks and her two kids play Rose and
lives without taking a moment to grasp the
Thorn where they talk about the best and
present and cherish those most important to
us. Sometimes we may need a kick-start of
worst part of their day.
inspiration to feel renewed as we face each
day. Marks gives us hope to find strength
The children aren’t the only ones inspired
when she says, “I live each day focused
from Marks’ enthusiastic energy. “She is
on being fully present with the incredible
the most upbeat, positive friend who lifts
people I have been blessed with in my life. I
you up,” says Crystal Blackwell, friend and
former neighbor who also nominated Marks look back with no doubts for the past, only
excitement for what the future holds.”
for the Geist contest. “She’s a remarkable
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