Secret Millionaire Mark Paskin

As a society, we love stories of success. Hearing how someone went from humble beginnings to becoming a millionaire falls into this category. The life of Mark Paskin is one of those stories. Paskin grew up in Madison, Wisconsin, as a member of a family considered poor at the time. This did not stop him from attending college at the University of Wisconsin.

A strong work ethic was instilled in Paskin at an early age and he paid for his university education through employment. By the time he graduated, he had saved $1,000. To many people, this is nothing, but to Mark, it was life-changing. Paskin used his life savings to put a down payment on a duplex in his area. He did not realize it then, but this was the beginning of a 35-year career in real estate.

Were it not for that $1,000 investment, Paskin would not be the multimillionaire he is today. He built upon his small investment, creating a real estate portfolio of industrial buildings, apartment complexes, retail properties, and office buildings. His real estate holdings eventually extended from Florida to Texas through Nevada to California, making him well-known in many regions.

With a $100 million real estate portfolio, Paskin had definitely earned the title of “The Donald Trump of San Diego,” bestowed upon him by the San Diego Tribune. Currently a resident of California, Paskin serves as president for his company, Paskin Properties. This is one division of The Paskin Group, a privately held company involved in real estate management and investment. Paskin also speaks at universities and companies worldwide, sharing his knowledge and motivating audiences with his story and real estate investment advice.

This multimillionaire focuses on more than just real estate. He enjoys traveling, spending quality family time, and snow skis when he has time. He has not let go of his radio disc jockey past, sometimes dressing up in an Elvis costume and heading to a local bar to sing karaoke. Giving to those in need is also important to Paskin, which made the opportunity to appear on ABC television’s Secret Millionaire last season a no-brainer.

Paskin is now 61 and while he is still earning money, he plans to die without any of it. His philosophy is that once a person has made a great deal of cash and purchased everything desired, there is no point in keeping more money. Paskin is in the process of distributing his fortune to people and causes in need. Recipients of his charitable efforts include American Cancer Society, the UCSD Shiley Eye Center, and Juvenile Diabetes association.

Each year, this multimillionaire donates hundreds of thousands of dollars. When he appeared on Secret Millionaire, he donated approximately $125,000 to inner city Detroit volunteers. Paskin attributes the television show for his new-found appreciation for his lifestyle and health. He said he is even more sensitive to those who are not as fortunate as he has been. Paskin promotes the importance of giving time, money, or other resources to help others.