NASHUA, NH–PROCON Chairman and CEO Mark Stebbins passed away unexpectedly and peacefully at his favorite place in the world, Bailey Island, Maine, on June 17, 2021 after enjoying a beautiful sunset with his wife, Sally. He was 67.
Mark grew up as a contractor’s son in the North End of Manchester, NH, where his entrepreneurial and competitive spirit developed early. Mark had a paper route from a young age and worked in the summers for his father’s construction company. His athletic tenacity in the pool earned him scholarships first to The Lawrenceville School and then to Dartmouth College, where he majored in Economics, held longstanding records in the 50 and 100 freestyle, and was honored as an All American.
In order to gain experience in real estate and finance, Mark took a job at Chase Manhattan Bank in New York City, where he met and fell in love with Sally. In 1979, he returned home to New Hampshire to work alongside his father at PROCON and begin what would become a long career and lifelong passion for developing real estate.
Although Mark was passionate about business, his first love and priority was always his family. Mark and Sally recently celebrated their 42nd wedding anniversary and have three children: John, Jennifer, and Lisa. Later, three in-laws and six grandchildren joined the family. He has always been close with his parents, brother and his family, and sister and her family.
Mark loved real estate so much that he made it his job and did it for fun too. At age 19, he and his brother put an offer in on a house in Bailey Island, Maine. Over the years, he envisioned and created an extended compound for friends and family to gather there together.
He found a spiritual calm when on the island. His happiest days started with his grandchildren, who lovingly called him “Bubba”, gathering from their houses to his table for breakfast club, driving them around on the gator, coming together for a boat picnic at lunch, and going for an afternoon sail. Mark’s heaven was sitting with family and friends on the Bailey Island decks to watch the sun slip slowly into the slot of tomorrow.
Mark was a constant optimist. If you ever asked how he was, he loved responding: “Outstanding!” or “If I got any better, it would be illegal!” He took a sincere interest in everyone he met and was generous with his spirit. He always called himself “the luckiest man in the world.”
Professionally, Mark was a visionary and consummate entrepreneur. He was confident, decisive, and ready to outwork anyone. He grew PROCON to the largest design-build construction company in New Hampshire. His hotel company owns the largest number of hotel rooms in Greater Boston. He owns a fabric company, a biotech company, a senior living development company, a commercial real estate brokerage, and innumerable commercial real estate developments. He truly loved his work and the people he worked with. Many of his business partners became close friends, and one of his greatest joys was working alongside his children, John and Jennifer, as they joined the business in the last decade.
He made his mark on the built environment and in business, but also felt a deep need to give back to the community. He was generous both financially and with his time and expertise, pushing non-profits to think strategically, to collaborate, and to develop sustainable models. Together with Sally, he joyfully supported organizations helping children and families throughout New Hampshire and the arts in Portsmouth.
Mark was larger than life. His legacy will endure through the love of his life, Sally, his three children: John and Bridget Stebbins and their children Charlotte, Juliet, Wyatt and Abigail; Jennifer and Dylan Thomas and their children Eliza and Claire; and Lisa and Joe Geoghegan. He is loved and missed by his mother, Katherine R. Stebbins, his brother Henry B. Stebbins and sister-in-law Alison, and his sister Sarah Zepeda and brother-in-law Jose.
