Mark Cerrone was a builder, and a hard-working one at that.

Born in 1956 to Josephine and the late A. Vincent Cerrone, Mark learned the value of work helping his father at Cerrone Trucking.  By 13 years old, Mark was cutting scrap and washing trucks, learning the construction business hands-on at an early age.

At the time of his graduation from Bishop Duffy High School in 1975, Mark was working as laborer for his uncle, Armand Cerrone, then a heavy equipment operator, and over the next 24 years, steadily progressed to foreman and then to superintendent.  Mark built roads, parking lots, landfills and much more in preparation for things to come.

Building projects would also take a prime role in Mark’s personal life.  His personal projects would in many ways mirror his professional growth.  The hands-on experience of restoring an antique boat gave Mark the skills and confidence to attempt larger projects including renovating the neglected house that he and his wife Candice made into the home where they raised their four children.  From home renovations to apartment renovations, from building apartments to building their cabin in the Southern Tier, these expanding projects showed Mark’s creative side, his growing confidence as a builder and his commitment to hard work.

In 1999, Mark struck out on his own, starting Mark Cerrone Inc. with a used truck, a used backhoe and a big dream.  Over the next seven years, Mark built one of the premier civil contracting companies in Western New York specializing site preparation, demolition, railroad construction, industrial maintenance, landscaping and much more.

Major projects like the Third Street Reconstruction, the new Niagara Street School, or the NECCO Park Landfill were joined by smaller, but to Mark, no less important jobs like paving church parking lots or snowplowing.  Mark took pride in his work and his word, making sure the job was done right, safe and affordably.  He stayed hands-on even as his business grew, relishing any opportunity to operate an excavator rather than ride a desk.

 Mark’s success was accompanied by generous spirit and it provided him the opportunity to help build up the local community.  Mark not only donated to local charities but would participate in events like the Ride for Roswell Park Cancer Institute, as he was an avid cyclist.  His businesses sponsored a number of youth sports teams, hospitals, churches and many others organizations.

Though he never sought recognition, Mark received numerous awards for his service to the community and in recognition of his business contributions.  In 2004, he was honored as the Town of Niagara Businessperson of the Year and Niagara Lion’s Club Citizen of the Year and in 2006, Mark received the Pine Avenue Business Association Community Service Award and HSBC Bank Entrepreneurial Spirit Award.

When he’d take time from work, Mark’s interests were as rugged as his construction work.  He was an outdoorsman who loved hunting and fishing, often bringing his catches back to shared around the office.  He not only enjoyed auto racing, but also sponsored a number of racing teams at Ransomville Speedway.

In addition to his wife Candy, he is survived by his four daughters, Angela Marcolini, Gina Cerrone-Piwowarczyk, Christina Cerrone and Lauren Cerrone, and three grandchildren.

In every sense of the word, Mark Cerrone was a builder.  From his own growing family to his growing business, from the neighborhood little league to the neighborhood school, Mark’s vision and tireless dedication provide us an excellent example as together, we are “moving forward.”