Luke Marklin Enjoys Old Masters Experience

The 2020 Old Masters Program was held virtually concluding with an “Evening with the Old Masters”.

Luke Marklin ’07 seems far too young to be considered an Old Master, but it just shows that wisdom and a desire to give back can come at any age.  Luke, who is the CEO of Bellhops Moving, a company that has redefined the moving industry, took part in the 2020 Old Master’s program last November.

A Virtual Experience

Due to COVID, the program was 100% virtual this year. That meant all of our interactions with students and other Old Masters took place over Zoom from the comfort of the Old Master’s homes. While this was a big setback to some parts of the OM experience, it amplified others.

Luke commented, “I definitely missed the energy of campus and the fun, in person moments of the program (like going to Harry’s). However, it did make it a lot easier for us to speak to a variety of different student and alumni groups over a multi-week period. Our interactions ranged from individual Zoom conversations, to taking part of virtual classes, to speaking to large clubs with hundreds in attendance. One of my favorite interactions was a breakfast with President Daniels where he shared key elements of the Protect Purdue initiative and then opened us to us asking him questions.”

The final event, “An Evening with the Old Masters”, had student hosts posing questions to each Old Master.  This video has been viewed over 1500 times.

Luke Connects With the Sigs

The brothers at Delta Delta have always actively participated in Old Masters. During this year’s program Luke had a chance to have an hour-long conversation with about 30 brothers. Luke remarked, “Sigma Chi really helped shape my life so I’m always excited to engage with the undergrads. I really appreciated their questions and the brother’s involvement.”

Aligning Values with Leadership Style

During the finale Luke spoke about the need to enrich the lives of those you work with as well as others you come in contact with.  Luke gained national attention when he, as CEO of Bellhops, gave his personal car to an employee who, after his car broke down, walked 20 miles so he wouldn’t be late for his first day of work.  Luke stated that one’s values and principles must align with your leadership style in order to be fulfilled in your life’s work.  He noted that his guiding principles were to strive for “a winning drive, an innovator’s mind, and a servant’s heart.”

Luke Marklin Profile

Luke Marklin ‘07

Luke Marklin graduated from Purdue University in 2007 with a Bachelor of Science in Construction Engineering and Management from the College of Engineering. He went on to earn his M.B.A. from Harvard Business School in 2012. During his time at Purdue, Marklin was actively involved in the Old Masters Program and Sigma Chi Fraternity.

After graduating, Marklin jumped into his career as a Project Manager at Barton Malow Company where he led 300+ employees and won $77M of new business. He then worked at Emerson Industrial Automation in marketing and strategic planning, traveling globally to influence new product development, sales, and operations. Marklin later became the General Manager of Uber Atlanta for two years before becoming CEO of Bellhops in 2017 as the company transitioned out of its startup phase. Bellhops has grown exponentially over the past three years.