Affiliation: Interim CFO Service
Candidate Assessment: Qualifications Not Confirmed
Candidate Questionnaire
1. ARIN Board of Trustees Qualifications and Responsibilities:
Please review the ARIN Board of Trustees Expected Qualifications and Responsibilities thoroughly.
Please describe, providing specific details, any barriers you foresee to your fully meeting those qualifications and undertaking those responsibilities. Trustees’ responsibilities have usually require about 5-10 hours per week.
I do not foresee any barriers currently.
2. Conflicts of Interest
a) Please disclose any conflicts of interest you may have, real or perceived, that would impact your ability to perform your duty as a member of the ARIN Board of Trustees. (If no conflicts, please enter “N/A”)
N/A
b) How do you propose to resolve any conflicts identified in (a)? (If no conflicts identified, please enter “N/A”)
N/A
c) Are you currently eligible to serve on the Board of Trustees according to the Conflict of Interest Requirements and the eligibility requirements?
Yes
d) If not currently eligible, describe how you will become eligible to serve, if elected (i.e., “If elected, I will resign from the position of ________ before 31 Dec 2025”). If currently eligible, please enter “N/A”.
N/A
3. Education:
a) Please list any educational degree(s) you received, the institution and the date issued.
Master of Accounting – University of Florida-1993
Bachelor of Science – Accounting – University of Florida-1992
b) Please list any professional designations, certifications, or development education (non-degree) and the dates completed.
1) Stanford University-Graduate School of Business-The Emerging CFO-Strategic Financial Leadership Program – Class of 2022
2) Certified Public Accountant-Active
3) Chartered Global Management Accountant-Active
4) Various CPA (Mandatory) Continuing Professional Education Courses completed between 1994-2025 – At least 80 hours per 2 year period.
4. Employment and Experience:
a) Please provide the name of any company or organization you currently are employed by, or from which you receive directly or indirectly a material portion of your compensation. Please describe the business of each such entity, your current title, and the office address of the organization.
Toku, Inc.
4225 Executive Square
Suite 260, La Jolla, CA 92037
San Diego, CA
Interim (Consulting) Chief Financial Officer Oct 2024 – Present
AI-powered software company focused on using technology to early-detect signs of chronic health conditions such as heart disease, kidney disease and diabetes.
I serve as a strategic partner to the CEO and the executive management team, providing financial stewardship and guidance to address the challenges and opportunities facing this emerging growth company aiming to transform innovative technology into a sustainable and impactful business.
b) Please refer to the ARIN Board of Trustees Guidance to the 2025 Nomination Committee in answering this question: Please describe your relevant professional experience and expertise and explain how this background will make you an effective Trustee.
I’m a battle-tested C-level financial executive and ex-Big 4 CPA with over 25 years of experience guiding and helping innovative companies to scale-up.
My background in Finance (specifically at networking, infrastructure and healthcare companies) has given me front row seat for the importance of the internet, clouds services and connected devices. Generally speaking I’ve operated at all levels in finance (Controllership, Treasury, Controls, FP&A and Risk Management) which requires deep collaboration at all levels and areas of each organization to achieve company goals and objectives.
This experience along with a focus on optimizing the business to serve the needs for varying constituents (shareholders, board members, employees, customers and vendors) ideally positions me to be an experienced, collaborative and forward-thinking Trustee with ARIN.
I’m also a strategic leader with proven, hands-on expertise working with executive management team and the Company’s board of directors in operational and strategic finance. Key focus areas have included building and scaling finance functions from the ground up, implementing robust systems and processes (FP&A, accounting, treasury), implementing SOX-compliant financial controls and reporting processes and procedures and post-IPO financial stabilization and spearheading the full lifecycle of M&A and IPOs.
This background and experience were gained working with technology companies (software, networking infrastructure, Medtech, etc.) ideally positions me to be an impactful Trustee with a primary focus of an ARIN’s Trustee’s key duties:
(1) Establishing Strategic Direction (2) Providing Fiscal Oversight and (3) Ensuring Healthy Governance
Attach a resume, curriculum vitae, or other biography highlighting your experience most relevant to the duties of the ARIN Board of Trustees. (PDF, DOC, DOCX files only)Remove any personal contact information (postal address, email, and/or phone number) from your resume/CV, as it will be posted publicly as part of the candidate information.
https://arin-elections.net/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/thorpe_mark_resume.pdf
You may also optionally include additional web links to external websites (e.g., social media), though not as a substitute for your biography. One URL per line.
No response
5. Governance Experience:
a) Please identify any boards on which you currently serve that carry fiduciary duties, whether at a for-profit or nonprofit organization. Please note how long you have served and what offices, if any, you have held.
No current board service at this time.
b) Please identify any other boards on which you have served in the past 10 years that are not included in answer to (a), listing your dates of service.
Last board service was 2011-2014. I served as director on the board of a North Carolina-based not-for-profit, The Timothy Initiative, a church planting organization.
c) How does your past governance experience prepare you to help fulfill that role by serving as an ARIN Trustee?
My overall experience has ideally prepared me to serve as a Trustee with ARIN having been shaped as follows:
1) Not-For-Profit Organization: Serving as a board member (Not-For-Profit) with a focus on helping with strategic direction, helping to develop and establish appropriate governance (e.g. CEO compensation) and acting as support/sounding board to the CEO and executive team members.
2) For-Profit Organization: Serving as a board observer for several For-Profit companies with a focus on helping with strategic direction (e.g. funding, go-to-market strategy), helping to develop and establish appropriate governance and acting as support/sounding board to the CEO and executive team members.
3) For-Profit Organization: Serving as a member of the executive team of various For-Profit companies with the responsibility for developing and / or implementing strategic plans, governance (e.g. Controls, Process Improvements, SOX) and overseeing financial matters (e.g. FP&A, Accounting and Treasury), direct reporting to Board members (e.g. Audit Committee), Board support (e.g. Compensation Committee) and day-to-day collaboration with the CEO and executive team members on all operational matters (e.g. compensation, budgets, sales and marketing strategies, pricing, etc.)
6. Describe any past experience or involvement with ARIN or other Internet governance bodies.
No past experience or involvement with ARIN or other internet governance bodies.
7. Aside from any governance experience, describe your specific skills, background, and/or areas of expertise you believe will assist the Board in carrying out its duties.
ARIN’s strategic importance as a foundational underpinning for the process that distributes unique internet identifiers that ultimately allow devices and networks to connect and communicate with each other cannot be understated.
Having a centralized organization (and accompanying system) for distributing these unique internet identifiers overseen by a strong, experienced and interdisciplinary board (and employees) is necessary to prevent chaos.
My background in Finance (specifically at networking, infrastructure and healthcare companies) has given me front row seat for the importance of the internet, clouds services and connected devices. Generally speaking I’ve operated at all levels in finance (Controllership, Treasury, Controls, FP&A and Risk Management) which requires deep collaboration at all levels and areas of each organization to achieve company goals and objectives.
This experience along with a focus on optimizing the business to serve the needs for varying constituents (shareholders, board members, employees, customers and vendors) ideally positions me to be an experienced, collaborative and forward Trustee with ARIN. See 4b for additional details regarding my specific skills, background and areas of expertise.