Getting to know Board of Visitors member Mark Albers

Mark Albers retired as an upstream senior vice president of ExxonMobil Corporation in April 2018 after 38 years of service and 11 years on the Management Committee. He was born in Calgary, Alberta, Canada, while his father was working on a seismic crew, and grew up in Mississippi and Texas. He graduated from Texas A&M University in 1979 with a Bachelor of Science in petroleum engineering. Mark and his high school sweetheart, Cindy, reside in The Woodlands, Texas. They have four married children living in the greater Houston area and nine grandchildren. He joined the MD Anderson Cancer Center Board of Visitors (BOV) in 2012. He chairs the BOV’s Clinical Operations and Competitive Assessment Advisory Group and is a member of the Executive Committee.

What three words best describe you?

Integrity, focus, people

What’s most important in life?

Jesus said to love God with all of our heart and others as ourselves. For me, that means enjoying an authentic, intimate relationship with God and loving people from all walks of life, regardless of ethnicity,

age, gender, faith or position in society.

Now that you’ve retired, how do you like to spend your time?

I enjoy getting to spend more time with family whether it’s outdoors in Fayette County, Texas; the waters of Cape Cod, Massachusetts; or at home in the greater Houston area. I enjoy connecting with and mentoring men, spending time in the Bible, hunting, boating, fishing and having fun, but mostly spending time with family. I also serve on the Board of Advisors, Texas University Lands; as a trustee of

Grace School of Theology; as an assistant chair of the Board of the CEO Forum; as a member of the Texas A&M University Engineering Advisory Council; and in the leadership of Bible Study Fellowship.

When and why did you join the MD Anderson Cancer Center BOV?

Harry Longwell (former BOV chair) and Rex Tillerson (former Secretary of State) reached out to me about six years ago regarding MD Anderson, its mission to end cancer and the BOV. I had recently lost my father-in-law, Ned Arps, to multiple myeloma in November of 2012. As I experienced how quickly the cancer took Ned’s life, the need for breakthrough cures and the mission of MD Anderson became very evident and personal.

Describe some of the challenges and rewards you have experienced as a member of the BOV.

MD Anderson has such a phenomenal reputation when it comes to getting the best care possible and giving a cancer patient the best chance to not only survive, but also thrive. Family members, ExxonMobil employees and others in my life have received world-class care there. A nephew, for example, recently underwent rigorous chemotherapy and radiation therapy and is cancer-free. MD Anderson’s success brings with it challenges. How do we increase access to the world’s premier cancer treatment facility?

How do we shorten the time to admission and treatment? How do we improve the patient experience? And how do we ensure we remain financially fit and secure for the long term?

What motivates you in Making Cancer History®?

It goes back to the question of “what’s most important in life.” Cancer is no respecter of a person’s ethnicity, position in society or age. Enormous strides have been made in the search for new cures, and more are on the immediate horizon. MD Anderson gives a person real hope. Being a part of the MD Anderson team gives me the opportunity to help save lives. There is no greater demonstration of love.