Before becoming a member of the Board of Directors, Chris Forte served Marquis Studios from 2010-2020 as an Education Liaison, cultivating partnerships with schools throughout NYC. Chris also had a successful business career for over 32 years with Hallmark Cards as the Regional Manager for the Eastern US. He led a field organization of over 1,000 people in a variety of roles and worked with senior management of major retailer such as Walgreens, CVS and Walmart Stores. Chris is a native New Yorker, born and raised in the Yankee Stadium neighborhood of the Bronx. He comes from an education‐based family with his Dad being a NYC Teacher/Guidance Counselor for 50 years and Mom an Art Teacher. As a rabid baseball fan, he often dreams of roaming the outfield of Yankee Stadium with his hero Mickey Mantle. He and his wife Miyoko currently live in Bayside, Queens.