Mark Adams is a bay area native turned Sacramento entrepreneur. Raised in Richmond California, Mark has now created a life for himself and his family in Sacramento. He is both founder and president of AHI Construction, Inc (AHI).
Prior to starting AHI, Mark earned a dual BA from UC Davis in Economics and Sociology, and eventually an MBA from CSU Sacramento. After college, he was hired at Hewlett-Packard. Mark began in Customer Support and moved up the chain to Agreement Specialist, Data Conversion, and Supply Chain Buyer.
Marks journey as an entrepreneur was forced as a result of being laid off from the reorganization of Hewlett-Packard during the Compaq/ HP merger. He had a family to support and didn’t like the idea that someone else could quickly change his ability to provide for them. He researched quickly and with his prior handy man knowledge doing small repairs in college he opened AHI Construction. Mark, utilizing his degree in Economics, studied the changing economy and identified a niche he foreshadowed to come. He sought out and was awarded a vendor base contract with Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac in 2006 to renovate Real Estate Owned properties. He gained a wealth of knowledge with the do’s and don’ts of operating a small business as the economy and housing price downfalls forged one of the biggest recessions in the last few decades.
AHI was founded in 2003. It is now a full-service construction/contracting and construction-management company. AHI provides residential, commercial, industrial and governmental construction services. Mark currently holds more than 8 contracting licenses and has completed all levels of construction from simple repairs to building million-dollar homes and government complexes from the ground up. As Managing Operator, he has overseen the daily operation for more than 80 projects simultaneously while ensuring exemplary customer satisfaction.
Mark is no stranger to struggle and embraces success as hard earned but nonetheless a privilege granted by God and forged on the shoulders of those before him. His dedication to heritage, faith and community lead him toward using his experiences to promote opportunities for underserved youth and in promotion of other local small businesses. Mark served as a board member and Board Chair for Big Brothers Big Sisters of Greater Sacramento, as well a board member or Next-Ed formerly Linking Education and Economic Development (LEED). He is a member of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Incorporated and the founder of the Urban Empowerment Academy, a Non-profit dedicated to teaching youth the tools and trades of construction through education and on the job training.
Amidst the economic recession, Mr. Adams was awarded Small Business of the year Award in 2009 by the Sacramento Black Chamber of Commerce. He was accepted in the Inaugural class of the Nehemiah Emerging Leaders Program in 2009. He was recognized as one of Sacramento Business Journal’s top 40 business leaders under 40 in 2011, won first place in the Build Black business grant through The Center at Sierra Health Foundation in 2019 and is currently participating in the first cohort of the City of Sacramento Economic Gardening Program in 2020. Mark is also currently a certified Executive Coach through Think, Feel, Know and a founding member of System 2 Solutions, a consulting firm focusing on the construction management components, promoting leadership and general cohesion in the work environment through equity, wellness and mental health.
When he is not working, Mark is a Level 1 certified Track and Field Coach and coaches at Laguna Creek High School. He enjoys vacationing with his beautiful wife and 2 daughters, golfing, camping, boating, riding his Harley, vacationing outside of the US and practicing his BBQ skills so he can get the grand prize on Bar-be Que Pit-Masters!