With over 20 years of experience in business banking, he has become an expert in Small Business Administration financing and loan programs for diversely owned businesses.
LOS ANGELES, CA, December 12, 2024 /24-7PressRelease/ — Mark Morales has been selected for inclusion in Marquis Who’s Who. As in all Marquis Who’s Who biographical volumes, individuals profiled are selected on the basis of current reference value. Factors such as position, noteworthy accomplishments, visibility, and prominence in a field are all taken into account during the selection process.
Mr. Morales, a distinguished professional in small business lending and supplier diversity, currently serves as senior vice president at AmPac Business Capital. With over 20 years of experience in business banking, he has become an expert in Small Business Administration financing and loan programs for diversely owned businesses. His career is marked by significant achievements, including his role as chair of the California Department of Insurance Diversity Task Force, where he has been instrumental in increasing the spend by insurance companies by over $1 billion dollars to diverse owned businesses in California over the past five years. With a personal philosophy that emphasizes inclusion, representation, and engagement, he engages in diverse experiences, from speaking in front of Congress to influencing local legislation, all while maintaining a clear focus on his purpose.
Before stepping into his current role earlier this year, Mr. Morales served as vice president of community reinvestment at City National Bank from 2017 to 2024, where he established a Supplier Diversity program that increased diverse business spending by over 66% during his tenure. His earlier roles include vice president positions at HomeStreet Bank, Pacific Mercantile Bank, Manufacturers Bank, Union Bank, JPMorgan Chase & Co., California Federal Bank and Glendale Federal Bank.
Mr. Morales’s dedication to community involvement is evident through his numerous awards and recognitions. He has received accolades such as the Los Angeles Business Journal Nonprofit Corporate Citizen Award in 2024, the President’s Volunteer Service Silver Award in 2024, and the RBC Global Citizen Award in 2022. His commitment to diversity and inclusion has also been recognized with the Insurance Diversity Trailblazer Award in 2018, multiple City National Bank Community Involvement Awards from 2020 to 2024 and the SBA Los Angeles District Office Financial Services Champion of the Year in 2016.
In addition to his professional accomplishments, Mr. Morales is actively involved with several industry-related organizations. After purchasing one of his business banking clients, Charles Jacobsen, Inc. in 2013, and getting the business certified as diverse owned, he started his volunteer work in the supplier diversity world. He serves on the board of directors for the Long Beach LGBTQ+ Chamber of Commerce and holds advisory roles with Equality California and Southern California Edison. As president emeritus of the Los Angeles LGBTQ Chamber of Commerce and senior vice president of community relations and outreach for the California LGBTQ Chamber of Commerce, he continues to advocate for diversity and inclusion within various communities.
Mr. Morales’s educational background includes coursework in international finance at California State University, Fullerton, and participation in the Business Honors Program at California State University, Long Beach. His certifications in supplier diversity best practices and leadership from institutions like Equality California Institute have further equipped him to make significant contributions to his field.
Influenced by mentors such as Marquita Thomas, CEO of the California LGBTQ Chamber of Commerce, and inspired by his father’s dedication to volunteerism, Mr. Morales attributes his success to a deep desire to give back to the community. His visionary approach has led him to connect overlooked ideas across industries, resulting in impactful projects like helping design the new procurement platform for the City of Los Angeles and the USC Compete4LA project. As chair of the Department of Insurance Diversity Task Force since 2020, he has driven substantial increases in financial commitments from insurance companies to California’s diverse businesses and was the inspiration for the California Insurance Diversity Index, which ranks insurance companies by their commitments to supplier diversity, governing board diversity and investment in the communities they serve. Ultimately, his commitment to supporting small businesses is central to everything he does, and he encourages others to find their paths to make a meaningful difference.
A Los Angeles native, Mr. Morales enjoys spending time with his spouse, Michael F. Mirch, especially traveling, sightseeing, and exploring art, architecture, and history. In the coming years, he looks forward to writing a book that guides readers in making measurable contributions to their communities through volunteering. He is also committed to continuing his efforts to support small, diverse businesses through opportunities and connections.
About Marquis Who’s Who®:
Since 1899, when A. N. Marquis printed the First Edition of Who’s Who in America®, Marquis Who’s Who® has chronicled the lives of the most accomplished individuals and innovators from every significant field of endeavor, including politics, business, medicine, law, education, art, religion and entertainment. Who’s Who in America® remains an essential biographical source for thousands of researchers, journalists, librarians and executive search firms around the world. The suite of Marquis® publications can be viewed at the official Marquis Who’s Who® website, www.marquiswhoswho.com.
# # #
