West Virginia Executive Spring/Summer 2020 | Page 112

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Mark Urso
President & Managing Member,
Bear Contracting, LLC and Bear Utilities, LLC
AMANDA LARCH & SAMANTHA CART
Photo by Tiffany Kerr/D-Max Photography.
GROWING UP IN CLARKSBURG, WV, Mark Urso struggled with
dyslexia and dysgraphia. While his challenges with reading and
comprehension meant he had to put in twice as much as effort,
it was his family’s support, his inclination for hard work and his
competitive nature that pushed him toward success. As a result,
today he is the president and managing member of two construction
companies, Bear Contracting, LLC and Bear Utilities, LLC.
“Growing up, I learned that some of the smartest people you
will ever meet or work with may have very little education, getting
dirty is a good thing, common sense can take you a long way
in life and anyone willing to work hard can be successful,” he
says. “I got to where I am now with hard work and a never-quit
mentality. You might be more book smart, but you will never
outwork me. I have always believed if you fight to move forward
in business, you can persevere through anything.”
As a teenager, when he wasn’t playing sports or working his
first job cutting grass, Urso was busy observing. He fell in love
with construction while watching a construction company install
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WEST VIRGINIA EXECUTIVE