Mark Ciccone is a semi-retired world traveler who worked for thirty-two years for Procter and Gamble in various senior management positions, where he traveled widely in the US and abroad, including a stint living in Italy.

He subsequently became a consultant with Monitor (now Monitor Deloitte) in Cambridge, Massachusetts, and then the president of a boutique consulting firm specializing in strategy and innovation.

He holds bachelor's and master's degrees from Duquesne University in Pittsburgh, where he has taught twice: once as a graduate student in English and, more recently, as an instructor in the business school at the university's campus in Rome.

He lives in the suburbs of Boston with his wife, Eileen. They have four daughters and one granddaughter. His hobbies include travel, history, skiing, and following the Boston sports teams.