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Meet Mark: The Guy With All the Answers
We first met Mark Lourido in 2013 when TST owners, Bart and Kim Rogowski, were having lunch at the local Greek restaurant where Mark worked. Bart and Kim were frequent visitors and always enjoyed having Mark as their server. He was friendly, courteous, helpful, and would chat about bikes with Bart whenever he could. As time went on, the conversation turned to, “hey, do you guys need any help at your business?” At the time, TST was made up of just 4 team members and there was a real need for a customer service agent. Mark came in for an interview and in October 2014, he began working as TST’s first ever employee dedicated solely to customer service. Over the years, Mark has grown so much in his knowledge of sportbikes and TST products. He has gone from a newbie customer service agent to being our front man for all things customer related. He has immersed himself in TST culture and become a valuable asset who now leads a team of customer service agents. Whether on the phone, online, at the track, or even a bike night, Mark is always giving his all to TST. Currently Mark is getting ready to move up to a position geared more toward engaging with TST fans and customers rather than the daily putting out of fires that often comes with customer service work. This is going to allow him to use more of his awesome people skills, find out where the holes are in the sportbike market, and help TST fill as many of them as possible. He’s the perfect man for the job! We sat down with Mark and asked him some questions to give you all a little glimpse into the guy with all the answers.
Where were you born and raised?
I was born and raised in the beautiful island country of New Jersey (insert sarcasm). I moved to Florida during my sophomore year in High School.
What was the first sportbike you ever owned?
My very first motorcycle was a 2003 CBR600RR, gosh I miss that thing.
Second bike?
My second bike was a 2017 Kawasaki Z125. It was the very first vehicle I purchased brand new with 0 miles.
If you could own any bike, what would it be? I currently own it 🙂 2018 MT-07. BUT if I needed a second bike, I would probably go with a track dedicated bike like the new Aprilia RS660 or build an FZ07R. I just enjoy riding.
What are you looking forward to in 2020? Breaking down new barriers and starting to really hone in on certain aspects of my life. I feel like starting a new decade should signify good things to come, right?
What bike modification is a must?
An Integrated Tail Light from TST Industries, of course (shameless plug). But really, there’s no must. Get what makes you turn your bike into your bike.
What’s a funny/memorable day you remember at TST?
This is almost impossible to answer as we’ve had SOOO many good times here. But I would say pranking Marc-Anthony with the fake lizard in the photobox was probably the funniest thing.
What would you say is the best part about living in Florida?
Riding virtually year-round, for sure (and that’s probably it).
What’s your favorite hobby?
Riding my motorcycle, hands-down. But recently I’ve been trying new sushi restaurants and having a blast. It’s something I try to do once a month.
What is your ultimate dream job?
Owning a company that makes a difference in people’s lives that are living in poverty or other unfortunate situations.
Your team?
The Philadelphia Eagles.
What’s your dream vacation?
Going to New Zealand or traveling to different countries in Africa. There is so much culture to experience.
If you could have dinner with one person, dead or alive, who would it be?
Robin Williams.
Who is your best friend?
I would say Jon, who also works at TST, followed by my younger sister Emma.
What do you think is the best part about working at TST Industries?
The environment and my coworkers. No matter what’s going on, we always find time to cheer each other up and make sure everyone’s doing alright. It’s really a special place to work.
What is a fun fact about you that most people don’t know?
I was born deaf.
Describe your perfect day.
Getting up early and riding to get breakfast somewhere near the beach sounds like a good start. Then probably visiting a theme park and getting to ride all the roller coasters. Finishing it off with some beers, friends, and good music.
Thank you so much, Mark, for all you are to TST and for always going above and beyond. We love you so much, pumpkin.
It’s always great to get to know TST staff better. Seriously all the orders you have processed of mine have always been on point, and I was at a point of wanting to sell some bikes a while back, then I discovered your site with most needed mods and now after putting many of your mods on, I can’t bring myself to get rid of the bikes, I love them. The videos the R3 Superbike builds reinvigorated my love for motorcycling. TST’s website is spot on, stays current and I am always able to track everything easily. Thank you so much for the effort you put into such quality products and personable service.
I recently went on YouTube to get ideas for LED turn signals for my MT09. It was a great video done in Australia and the key component to make the upgraded turn signals work was the flasher relays. The video emphasized the TST relay! I thought this would be an international purchase only to find out it was in my backyard in Florida! Plug and play product, thank you TST.