Mark S. Weiner, 62

NEWPORT, R.I. – Mark S. Weiner Sr., born May 13, 1954, in Providence, R.I., died peacefully at home on July 26, surrounded by the family who loved him and whom he loved.

The son of Irving and Ruth Weiner, Mark was born two months prematurely and from the very beginning, was a fighter. He defied all odds after he was diagnosed with special needs at a time when that meant an impossible future. With the help of his mother and teachers at Henry Barnard and La Salle, he went on to graduate from Harvard University Extension, receive an honorary doctorate from Rhode Island College and achieve greatness.

A lifelong Democrat, Mark began his career working on Jimmy Carter’s 1976 presidential campaign. He spent the next four decades working to help hundreds of Democratic candidates get elected, from presidents to senators to mayors, all of whom considered him a friend and confidant. His company, Financial Innovations Inc., is one of the largest political mass-marketing firms in the country, supporting Democratic candidates, political causes, unions and nonprofits since 1980. Mark’s key leadership positions included Treasurer of the Democratic Governors Association, Chairman of the Rhode Island Democratic Party and several roles with the Democratic National Committee.

Mark touched the lives of every single person he met, with his daily goal being to try to do something nice for someone else each day. Whether it was replacing an entire playground for local disabled children in Warwick, his dedication to helping the homeless or his activity with various causes within the Clinton Foundation, he was a committed philanthropist and activist who left the world a better place than he found it. 

His greatest joy in life was bringing people together. He had an incredible knack for creating an environment in which two people with different beliefs or backgrounds could come together, learn from each other and walk away from the experience having gained from it.

Mark was the loving father of Cathy, Steven, Zoë and Richard; father-in-law of Brian Bunnin; and adoring grandfather to Maxwell and Bennett. He and his wife, Susan, shared a beautiful marriage for 26 years. Mark would often say, “I love her even more today than the day we got married.” He leaves behind his sister, Betsy, and his mother, Ruth, who both describe him as “the light of their life,” as well as many friends whose lives he changed. With a radiant smile and infectious laugh, he was a loyal, trusted and exceptional friend to anyone who had the privilege to know him.

Donations may be made to The Clinton Foundation in honor of Mark Weiner