Leadership

Marc S. Byrnes is Chairman Emeritus of Oswald Companies. Under Marc’s leadership, the 127-year employee-owned company has enjoyed significant growth and has strengthened its position among the top 50 largest insurance brokers in the United States. The firm is also ranked among the elite top 10 privately held brokers in the country specializing in employee benefits and financial services that was founded by Marc when his agency merged with Oswald in 1987.

A fixture in the Northeast Ohio civic community, Marc recently served as Chairman of the Board of Directors of United Way of Greater Cleveland. He serves on United Way’s Board of Trustees, Executive and Philanthropic Fund Committees. He was named United Way Volunteer of the Year in 2011.  Marc is an active member on the following Boards: Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and University School’s Board of Trustees and Executive Committee. Most recently, Marc chaired the Search Committee for Head of School at University School.  He received University School’s Distinguished Alumni of the Year Award in 2012.

In addition, Marc serves as a Board Advisor to:  Nirvana Analytics, Proformex, Tailwind Technologies, Inc., and US Bank.

Marc served on the bond issue committees for the Cleveland Metropolitan School District and the Metroparks. He acted as transition Co-Chair for County Executive, Armond Budish, and he is a member of the County’s Economic Commission Council. Marc is a member of the Advisory Board for CSU’s Bernie Moreno Center for Sales Excellence. He serves as Chairman Emeritus of the Cleveland Leadership Center, the preeminent organization for building and engaging civic leadership, as well as participates on CLC’s Endowment Committee. Marc was President (2012-2013) of the 50 Club of Cleveland, the city’s largest leading business society.

Historically, Inside Business has selected Marc among the Power 100 most influential leaders in Northeast Ohio. In 2016, Marc had the honor of being inducted into the Business Hall of Fame. In January 2018, Marc was the recipient of the Gordon E. Heffernan award for Values, Ethics and Community from the Values-in-Action Foundation and in November 2018, he received the prestigious Humanitarian Award from The Diversity Center of Northeast Ohio. In 2019, he earned the Advocate for Advancement Award at the Smart Women Breakfast, presented by Smart Business Magazine.

Marc is a 1972 graduate of University School and earned his B.A. from Williams College in 1976.