Marc Oken

Chairman
Falfurrias Capital Partners

Laureate 2025

Marc Oken, a Baltimore native and Loyola University graduate, is Chairman of Falfurrias Management Partners, a Charlotte-based private equity firm he co-founded in 2006 with Hugh McColl Jr. and Ed McMahan Jr. Since its inception, Falfurrias has raised $2.3 billion and, in 2024, was ranked the 4th highest performing Small Cap Buyout Fund globally by a Dow Jones affiliate.

Mr. Oken previously served as Chief Financial Officer of Bank of America during a decade of transformative acquisitions led by Hugh McColl Jr., including the merger with California’s Bank of America. Before joining Bank of America, he was a Partner at Price Waterhouse and spent two years as a Fellow at the Securities and Exchange Commission.

A dedicated civic leader, Mr. Oken has chaired organizations such as the Charlotte Mecklenburg Housing Partnership, The Mint Museum of Art, and The Charlotte Symphony. As Chairman of the Sullenberger Aviation Museum, he spearheaded a $34 million capital campaign to construct a new facility and renovate a historic hangar at Charlotte Douglas International Airport.

Mr. Oken is a Vietnam veteran and former Naval Aviator. Until 2023, he served over 15 years on the boards of Marsh McLennan, the world’s largest insurance broker, and Sonoco Products, a South Carolina-based paper products company.

He and his wife, Celene, are proud parents of five professional daughters working in various industries across the country.