Mark W. Schnake
Downers Grove,IL
Summary
Dynamic leader with extensive experience in customer success management and renewal management at Sprout Social, Dscout, S&P Global, and Fourkites, driving retention and growth through innovative strategies. innovative strategies. Proven track record in revenue-focused program development, achieving significant increases in renewal rates. Skilled in fostering global customer service excellence while building high-performing teams to enhance client engagement and satisfaction.
Overview
17
17
years of professional experience
Work History
Director, Renewal Management
Dscout, Inc.
Chicago, IL
04.2025 - 06.2025
- Directed global account management teams of 15 FTEs in renewal and retention initiatives.
- Created and led forecasting and deal reviews to enhance retention strategies.
Senior Director, Renewal Management
Sprout Social, Inc.
Chicago, IL
10.2023 - 03.2025
- Company Overview: Sprout, with $425M in revenue, empowers businesses around the globe to tap into the power and opportunity of social media. Their cloud software brings together social content and messaging, data, and workflows in a unified system of record, intelligence, and action.
- Oversaw team of 4 Managers and 40 Renewal Managers, generating approximately $425M in revenue.
- Partnered with cross-functional teams to streamline client interactions and enhance service delivery.
- Provided retention and growth forecasts to support strategic planning for Executive Team.
- Delivered comprehensive renewal analytics to guide decision-making across Sprout Social.
- Created retention and analytics dashboards for improved visibility into ATR and product-level metrics.
- Achieved year-to-date retention increases of 15% for Mid-Market, 3% for Enterprise/Strategic, and 26% for Self Service.
- Established initial customer service levels within Self Service through effective Renewal Management practices.
- Enhanced social media software capabilities to empower global business initiatives.
Senior Director, Customer Success, Strategic
Sprout Social, Inc.
Chicago, IL
03.2021 - 09.2024
- Directed Strategic Customer Success Organization, managing 3 Directors, 7 Managers, and 60 Customer Success/Renewal Managers.
- Oversaw Customer Success metrics achieving $425M in revenue through retention and growth.
- Collaborated with sales, onboarding, product, professional services, support, and engineering teams to ensure seamless client experiences.
- Defined best practices for Customer Success and implemented effective customer engagement strategies.
- Reported on key Customer Success metrics to the executive team for strategic decision-making.
- Redefined Executive Business Review process and implemented best practices for external value positioning.
- Integrated Mutual Success Program into Executive Business Review protocols, exceeding NDR% goal by 25% in 2023.
- Introduced Renewal Manager function in 2022, increasing retention by 11.75% YoY, scaling globally across Sprout Social.
Director of Customer Success
FourKites, Inc.
Chicago, IL
09.2019 - 03.2021
- Company Overview: Leader in visibility software at a valuation of 1B, empowering the world's leading shippers, carriers and 3PLs with real- time visibility driving efficiencies & cost savings across their supply chains.
- Directed Customer Success operations, managing CSMs and Client Project Managers for 75% of recurring revenue.
- Partnered with implementation, product, and engineering teams to ensure seamless client experiences.
- Defined best practices in Customer Success and implemented engagement strategies.
- Achieved 115% NRR in 2020, exceeding targets by 7% through annual price increases.
- Redefined Executive Business Review process, enhancing external presentation effectiveness.
- Established key Customer Success metrics for reporting to executive team.
- Introduced "Strategic Alignment" discussions in Quarterly Business Reviews to drive ROI.
- Implemented scalable staffing model, increasing average ARR serviced per FTE from 1.4M to 2.2M.
Associate Director, Client Experience & Software Solutions
S&P Global Market Intelligence
Charlottesville, VA
04.2017 - 09.2019
- Company Overview: Division of S&P Global, Inc. Generating $1.8B in revenue annually, focusing on MI Desktop and the product suite, providing data, analytics, and third-party research for global professionals.
- Directed customer experience operations across four divisions, managing 20 Customer Success Manager teams.
- Oversaw client relationships for SNL Banker and SNL Banker Cloud to improve service delivery.
- Coordinated software team resources supporting over 150 clients in a lean environment.
- Managed P&L and incentive tracking for Software Solutions division, optimizing cross-selling opportunities.
- Served as Senior Customer Success Manager for key accounts, achieving high satisfaction levels.
- Collaborated with internal CRM product management to define software solution workflows and best practices.
- Led Agile project implementations, enhancing operational efficiency across multiple teams.
- Achieved 99% renewal rate in 2018 and 2017, surpassing targets by three and six percent, respectively.
Senior Manager of Client Success Management Team
S&P Global Market Intelligence
01.2015 - 03.2017
- Managed three teams of Customer Success Managers and Business Intelligence Advisors, totaling 15 employees, at S&P Global Market Intelligence.
- Developed and implemented a new client servicing structure for all S&P Global clients.
- Enhanced client base visibility and formalized customer health review processes to improve accountability.
- Streamlined reporting structures, resulting in increased user utilization by 44% in 2016 and 60% in 2015.
- Achieved an impressive 99% renewal rate in 2016, exceeding plan by 4%.
- Secured a 100% renewal rate in 2015, surpassing plan expectations by 5%.
- Increased reporting utilization to 81% in 2016 and 55% in 2015, favorable to plan by 41% and 30% respectively.
Senior Business Intelligence Advisor
S&P Global Market Intelligence
08.2013 - 12.2014
- Cultivated relationships with executive-level clients to create dynamic financial reporting packages.
- Supervised two direct reports, monitoring product usage and delivering regular updates.
Senior Account Manager
The Northern Trust Company
Chicago, IL
01.2008 - 08.2013
- Served as primary contact for 14 institutional trust and custody clients managing $30B in assets.
- Trained clients on Institutional Investor Passport investment management software integration.
- Delivered comprehensive asset services, fund administration, and fiduciary solutions globally.
- Facilitated effective communication between clients and service teams to enhance relationships.
Education
Master of Business Administration -
Virginia Commonwealth University
Richmond, VABachelor of Arts - Economics
University of Illinois
Urbana-Champaign, ILSkills
- Leadership and team building
- Customer success management
- Account management
- Revenue-focused strategy
- Retention and growth forecasting
- Global customer service
- Software management
- Verticalization
- Program development and management
- Renewal management
References
References available upon request.
Timeline
Director, Renewal Management
Dscout, Inc.
04.2025 - 06.2025
Senior Director, Renewal Management
Sprout Social, Inc.
10.2023 - 03.2025
Senior Director, Customer Success, Strategic
Sprout Social, Inc.
03.2021 - 09.2024
Director of Customer Success
FourKites, Inc.
09.2019 - 03.2021
Associate Director, Client Experience & Software Solutions
S&P Global Market Intelligence
04.2017 - 09.2019
Senior Manager of Client Success Management Team
S&P Global Market Intelligence
01.2015 - 03.2017
Senior Business Intelligence Advisor
S&P Global Market Intelligence
08.2013 - 12.2014
Senior Account Manager
The Northern Trust Company
01.2008 - 08.2013
Master of Business Administration -
Virginia Commonwealth University
Bachelor of Arts - Economics
University of Illinois
Similar Profiles
Hrudit DawdaHrudit Dawda
UX/UI Tester at DscoutUX/UI Tester at Dscout
Savannah ThorstensenSavannah Thorstensen
UX Researcher Interviewee at DscoutUX Researcher Interviewee at Dscout
David ValentaDavid Valenta
Meat/Seafood Clerk at Jewel / OscoMeat/Seafood Clerk at Jewel / Osco
Anna CruzAnna Cruz
Paraprofessional at Amergis HealthcareParaprofessional at Amergis Healthcare
Kendell WrightKendell Wright
Special Education Resource Teacher & Case Manager at Field Elementary SchoolSpecial Education Resource Teacher & Case Manager at Field Elementary School