Markus Balke
Markus Balke (born March 7, 1963) is a German mineralogist, geologist, entrepreneur, marketing and sales expert, and speaker. He is the founder and Director of Balke & Partners LLC, Luis-Vincent Grouo Inc. USA, and International-Granite-Connection IGC Ltd. USA.
Early life and education
Markus Balke was born in Essen-Werden, Germany. He studied mineralogy and geology at the University of Cologne, Germany, and holds a master’s degree from Verwaltungs- und Wirtschaftsakademie VWA Essen NRW. He is an academically qualified economist with a focus on marketing and communications. He has also studied wholesale and foreign trade and holds a diploma in building and construction.[1]
Career
Balke has over 30 years of experience in producing and processing natural stones and their worldwide sale and trade. He was the developer of the first quarry portal in 2010. The portal is a convenient platform to buy and sell quarries and natural resources globally and also provides sales and marketing services to quarry owners. Balke initiated several natural stone production startups and distribution networks worldwide.[2]
Balke started his career in 1985 at Baubedarf Berg und Mark Wuppertal as a businessman focused on consulting building materials for construction and civil engineering while training students and job entrants. In 1989, he served as a natural stone expert and businessman at NKB, Duisburg, Germany, and General manager at NKB, Bonn, Germany.
In 1993, Balke founded STEINZEIT Natursteine GmbH Deutschland and served as the Managing Director until 2006. He established company structures and a European distribution network of natural stones and natural building materials for landscaping architecture projects. He was involved in building projects nationwide, which include Bundespräsidialamt, Bundestag, UN Headquarter und Post Tower in Bonn, Schloss Bellevue in Berlin, BMW in Munich, autotest tracks for Mercedes Benz, VW, Rolls Royce, and Continental tires and delivery of exclusive natural stones for numerous embassies and government buildings in Bonn, Berlin, and overseas. End of 1993, Balke was asked by the Chinese government to establish and develop new production plants in China under the authority of the Chinese government in Qingdao/Shandong.
In the following years, he helped in the establishment of EN-accordance production plants in Xiamen/Fujian with the support of the Chinese government and the Ministry of Commerce of China in Beijing.
In 1996, he was involved in establishing and developing new international markets and was officially assigned to establish new production plants and technical projects according to EN/DIN standards of natural stone production in Rajasthan, India, with the support of the Indian Government.
In 2006, Balke joined International Granite Connection Ltd., Montpelier, Vermont, as an interim managing director and CEO.
In the same year, he established Luis-Vincent Granite Inc. in Baltimore, Maryland, a Luis Vincent Group Corporation subsidiary, and serves as its CEO ever since.
In 2019, Balke purchased the assets of Grabasa/Spain from a bankruptcy court in Badajoz, Spain, with a German investor and transferred and formed PIEDRA Quarries and Production S.L. as the Managing director until 2021 to rebuild the Granite production and to develop stone technology in Extremadura.
He is the founder and Director of Balke & Partner LLC, a growing network of more than 200 experts in the natural stone business and associated fields. The network serves quarries and productions, investors, and architects (constructors) and offers marketing and sales services.[3]
Markus Balke is a speaker and has addressed World Stone Congresses, international conventions and fairs in Xiamen, China, the Middle East Big 5 Dubai, Verona, Italy, and more.[4] He also publishes literature as a stone specialist, including articles and lectures.
Memberships
• IMC - Institute of Management Consultants USA[5]
• NSI - Natural Stone Institute of America[6]
• MBNA - Monument Builders of North America
• NSC- Natural Stone Council - The United Voice of the Natural Stone Industry
